South Korea and Turkmenistan Sign 13 Agreements and MOUs, Expanding Cooperation in Plants and Infrastructure

President Lee Holds Summit with Turkmen President
Institutionalizing Investor Protection with ISDS and Free Remittance Guarantees
Creating a Safety Net for Corporate Expansion
Expanding Cooperation to Chemical Plants, Smart Water Management

South Korea and Turkmenistan have signed a total of 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs), covering areas such as investment protection, chemical industry and plant construction, infrastructure, water resources, and railways, significantly expanding the institutional foundation for economic cooperation. The bilateral cooperation, previously centered on resources and plant projects, is now being extended to investment, transportation, digital infrastructure, intellectual property, and public security, with a strong focus on improving conditions for Korean companies hoping to operate in Turkmenistan.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the expanded summit meeting with Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, held at the Blue House on the 15th. 2026.9.15 Yonhap News Agency

President Lee Jae-myung and President Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan held a summit meeting on the 15th, after which the two heads of state attended an exchange ceremony for 13 agreements and MOUs between their respective government ministries.

The most notable of these is the "Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investment." The two countries have pledged to guarantee fair and equitable treatment, as well as national and most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment to investors from each country. The agreement also sets out requirements and compensation principles for investment acceptance, investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) procedures, and provisions for free remittance of funds. The government expects that this will establish a stable institutional foundation for protecting investors and boosting investment between the two nations. For Korean companies seeking to participate in large-scale plant and infrastructure projects in Turkmenistan, this is considered a safety net that will reduce investment uncertainties.

The two countries have also signed an agreement on customs cooperation. Both sides will share information on matters such as customs valuation, verification of origin, customs clearance compliance, reasons for customs clearance delays or denial, and illegal trade of sensitive goods. This is intended to facilitate a joint response to transnational crimes such as customs law violations and smuggling. The measure is also expected to reduce customs-related uncertainties in the trade process and to create a more stable trading environment.

Beyond plant construction, the scope of industrial cooperation will be expanded to smart cities and railways. South Korea and Turkmenistan have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the chemical industry and plant sector by sharing policies, technology, workforce, and business information while building networks between governments and research institutions. Their goal is to discover new projects and expand the presence of Korean companies in the Turkmenistan market.

The scope of infrastructure cooperation will also be broadened. The two countries have agreed to cooperate not only on major projects in oil, gas, chemical industry, construction, and transportation/logistics, but also on the development of smart cities and digital urban infrastructure. In the railway sector, a separate MOU has been signed to establish a comprehensive cooperation mechanism and to increase collaboration in the smart and advanced rail sector. The government emphasized that, for the first time, an official intergovernmental cooperation platform has been created to facilitate the entry of Korean companies into Turkmenistan's railway market.

In the water resources sector, the modernization of the Karakum Canal—a key water infrastructure in Turkmenistan—will be a focus of bilateral cooperation. The two countries have agreed to jointly work on strengthening water security through smart water management technologies using artificial intelligence (AI) and through water reuse initiatives. The plan is to address Turkmenistan's large-scale water management needs with South Korea's digital water management technology.

Cooperation in intellectual property and public security will also be institutionalized to support the on-site activities of Korean companies. The two countries will strengthen cooperation in the field of intellectual property by sharing policies, laws, and institutional experience and by collaborating on administrative digitalization, the application of new technologies, and the commercial utilization of intellectual property. At the border, a separate MOU has been concluded to block counterfeit goods. The customs authorities of both countries have agreed to strengthen border measures against counterfeit goods bearing major brands and to operate a joint crackdown period targeting goods suspected of infringing intellectual property rights.

President Lee Jae-myung and President Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan are taking a commemorative photo ahead of the expanded summit at the Blue House on the 15th. 2026.9.15 Yonhap News Agency

An official cooperation channel has also been established in the legal and public security sectors. The two countries' justice ministries will promote expert exchanges, exchange legal information, and support legislative drafting, review, and joint research. This marks the first time that an official cooperation system between the two ministries of justice has been established. The prosecution authorities will set up practical channels to jointly respond to transnational organized crimes, including drug trafficking and money laundering. The police authorities have also agreed to cooperate on investigations of drug crimes, fugitive apprehension, police training, and traffic management. This is also the first time that an official police-to-police public security collaboration channel has been created.

In the fields of climate and environmental cooperation, the two countries will use agricultural satellites and information and communication technology (ICT) for forest management, forest ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and forest disaster prevention. This cooperation also aims to jointly address transboundary climate and environmental issues faced by Central Asia, such as desertification of the Aral Sea and water resource problems.

Additionally, the two countries have agreed to expand youth exchanges to increase mutual understanding between future generations. The government assessed that these 13 agreements and MOUs have laid the groundwork for diversifying bilateral economic cooperation—which had previously focused on resources and plant construction—into areas such as investment protection, advanced infrastructure, logistics, intellectual property, legal affairs, and public security.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.