President Lee Upgrades Ties with Kazakhstan After 17 Years... Signs Follow-up Agreement on 18 Million Barrels of Crude Oil

Upgraded to a "Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" with Kazakhstan
Expanding Cooperation in Key Minerals and Nuclear Power
Tokayev: "Korea Has Invested $1.2 Billion in Kazakhstan" ... State Visit Invitation to President Lee Next Year
First Korea-Central Asia Summit to Be Held on the 16th

On September 15, President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and elevated bilateral relations to a "Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" for the first time in 17 years. As Kazakhstan is the largest oil producer in Central Asia and Korea's leading trade and investment partner in the region, the two countries agreed to significantly expand economic security cooperation in areas such as crude oil, key minerals, and nuclear power plants, as well as broaden cooperation to future industries including artificial intelligence (AI), science and technology, and smart cities.

Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, is speaking at the expanded summit meeting with President Lee Jae-myung held at the Blue House on September 15, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News.

President Lee held both small and expanded summits with President Tokayev, who is on a state visit to Korea, at the Blue House in the afternoon, where they discussed a wide range of issues, including economy and trade, energy and key minerals, AI and science and technology, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, as well as regional and global affairs.

The two leaders upgraded the "Strategic Partnership," originally established in 2009, to a future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership after 17 years. This signifies their intent to transform the relationship from a trade- and investment-centered partnership to a strategic one encompassing economic security, advanced industries, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

During his opening remarks at the expanded summit, President Lee stated, "Recently, the international community is experiencing a multi-crisis era, characterized by the complex interplay of geopolitical conflicts, supply chain realignment, transnational crime, and energy security instability." He added, "Reliable partners have become more important than ever to enhance resilience against external shocks and secure a foundation for sustainable growth."

He went on to say, "Korea and Kazakhstan both pursue practical diplomacy that expands the scope of external cooperation and emphasizes national interests and tangible outcomes, making our diplomatic orientations similar." He assessed Kazakhstan as "an important partner for Korea in the field of economic security."

The core of economic security cooperation lies in energy and key minerals. As a follow-up measure to the visit of the Korean presidential special envoy to Kazakhstan last April, the two countries signed a "Basic Agreement on Crude Oil Cooperation" for the introduction of 18 million barrels of Kazakh crude oil. They are also considering options to widen the scope of cooperation through joint development of energy resources in the future.

In the area of key minerals, the two sides agreed to link Kazakhstan’s abundant local resources with Korea’s processing and manufacturing technologies by establishing a "Rare Metals Technology Cooperation Center" in Kazakhstan. Amid growing supply chain uncertainties, the plan is to diversify sourcing for key minerals and to establish a structure that connects not only imports but also processing and technological collaboration.

Nuclear power cooperation will also be strengthened. On the basis of the "MOU on Cooperation for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy," the two countries agreed to expand full-cycle cooperation in the nuclear power sector and lay the groundwork for Korean companies to enter the Kazakh market. Collaboration will also be widened in the areas of renewable and clean energy transition.

Kim Itak, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Nurlan Sauranbayev, Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, exchanged the memorandum of understanding on cooperation for the development of future aerial mobility and took a commemorative photo on the 15th at Cheong Wa Dae in the presence of President Lee Jae Myung and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. 2026.9.15 Yonhap News Agency

The scope of cooperation was expanded to AI and science and technology, as well as future industries. The two countries agreed to enhance collaboration in the future air mobility sector—including data and statistics, drones, and urban air mobility (UAM)—and to support the establishment of "Kaz-AIST," modeled after the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Korean urban and infrastructure technologies will also be incorporated into the development of the "Alatau New City."

President Tokayev stated, "Korea has invested 12 billion dollars in the Kazakh economy so far, and world-renowned large Korean companies are making successful inroads into Kazakhstan." He cited the construction of Alatau New City and the training of scientific and technological talent as major examples of bilateral cooperation.

Institutional mechanisms to support Korean companies’ local activities will also be reinforced. In response to President Lee’s request for interest to ensure that Korean companies can operate in a stable and predictable environment, President Tokayev announced his intention to designate Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister as head of the "Korea Desk," which will be dedicated to supporting Korean companies entering Kazakhstan.

President Lee Jae-myung and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev are attending the state visit welcome dinner held at the Blue House on the 15th. 2026.9.15 Yonhap News
Photo by Yonhap News

The two leaders also emphasized that historical ties and people-to-people exchanges are critical foundations for the development of bilateral relations. President Lee expressed his gratitude to the Kazakh government and people for their cooperation in enabling the repatriation of General Hong Beom-do’s remains to his homeland, 78 years after his passing in 2021. President Tokayev said, "The people of Kazakhstan know and respect General Hong Beom-do; he is recognized as a national hero and a patriotic and historic figure of Korea."

The two countries also acknowledged that the community of approximately 120,000 Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan) has served as a bridge between the two nations. Marking the 90th anniversary of Koryo-saram settlement in Central Asia in 2027, the two governments agreed to strengthen cooperation in preserving and managing historic sites and records related to the Korean independence movement.

People-to-people exchanges will also be expanded. As Kazakhstan has been designated a sending country under Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS), job opportunities for Kazakh citizens in Korea and employment opportunities for Korean small and medium-sized enterprises will increase. Through the "2026–2030 Cultural Cooperation MOU," cooperation will also be strengthened in content and the cultural industry.

After the summit, a total of 13 agreements and MOUs were exchanged in the presence of both leaders. These included the document formalizing the elevation of ties, cooperation in crude oil, nurturing science and technology talent, the Employment Permit System, nuclear energy, intellectual property, urban and infrastructure development, future air mobility, renewable and clean energy, cultural cooperation, and the preservation of historic sites related to the independence movement.

Meanwhile, President Tokayev extended an invitation for President Lee to pay a state visit to Kazakhstan next year. The two countries agreed to coordinate the specific timing of the visit through diplomatic channels.

President Lee stated, "I hope that our two countries, by strengthening cooperation amid global uncertainties and connecting each other's strengths and potential, will find new opportunities for mutually beneficial growth." He added, "I also hope that the deepened cooperation between Korea and Kazakhstan will lead to a virtuous cycle that contributes to the cooperation not only between our two countries, but also across Central Asia."

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