South Korea and Tajikistan Cooperate on Railway Market Entry... 17 Agreements and MOUs on Railways, Critical Minerals, and More

Supporting Bids for Dushanbe Urban Railway

Laying the Foundation for Expanding Business Entry and Trade

South Korea and Tajikistan have signed a total of 17 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) covering a wide range of economic and industrial sectors, including railways, industry and artificial intelligence (AI), critical minerals, and smart grids. In particular, the two governments and their respective railway institutions have simultaneously established a cooperative framework, paving the way for Korean companies to enter the Tajik railway market, including the future Dushanbe urban railway construction project.

Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan, is speaking at the summit meeting with President Lee Jae-myung held at the Blue House on the 16th. 2026.9.16 Yonhap News Agency

According to the Blue House on September 16, a total of 17 agreements and MOUs were signed between the two countries on the occasion of the summit meeting between President Lee Jaemyung and Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan. No separate signing ceremony attended by the presidents was held.

The railway sector stands out as the most prominent area of cooperation. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan agreed to cooperate through the “MOU on Railway Cooperation,” covering overall railway policies, technology, and business, as well as urban railway projects, modernization of existing lines, and capacity-building for personnel and technology. This expands previous cooperation, centered on individual projects, into a continuous cooperation system encompassing policies, institutions, technology, human resources, and companies.

Korea Railroad Corporation and Tajikistan Railways have also signed a separate MOU. The two sides agreed to cooperate in urban railway projects, cultivation of railway professionals, construction of a railway human resources training center, and management of railway infrastructure. The government intends to use the ongoing preliminary feasibility study for urban railway construction as a stepping stone to further projects, leveraging this as a gateway to expand into the Central Asian railway market.

The MOU between the National Railway Administration and Tajikistan Railways specifically outlines support measures for securing future contracts in the Dushanbe urban railway construction project. The two institutions will share information regarding project development and national laws and standards, while exchanging experience and technology in the railway sector.

The scope of cooperation in the transportation sector has also been broadened. The land and transportation authorities of both countries will cooperate in multimodal transport, public-private partnerships (PPP), urban transport, and education and training related to transportation infrastructure. They also agreed to strengthen collaboration in digitalization, smart mobility, and logistics and transportation sectors.

In industry, AI has been integrated into existing manufacturing. The “MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Industry and Innovation” signed by the industrial authorities of the two countries includes not only cooperation in light industry, textiles, sericulture, leather processing, food, and chemicals, but also the exchange of science and innovation technology, joint research on AI, and knowledge sharing. The government plans to expand exports of textile, chemical, and machinery products based on Korea’s industrial technology and experience, and to lay the groundwork for AI and digital technology companies to enter the Tajikistan market.

Yonhap News Agency

Links for business entry have also been established in the critical minerals sector. KOTRA and the Tajikistan Export Promotion Agency agreed to seek cooperation opportunities in critical minerals and green transition industries alongside boosting trade. The two agencies will also work together to exchange relevant information and conduct joint research and analysis.

For power infrastructure, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan have signed a smart grid MOU. They will share technology and information to reduce power loss through the adoption of remote meter reading infrastructure, digitalize power grids, and cooperate in energy storage. This provides an institutional basis for Korean companies to participate in Tajikistan’s power infrastructure modernization process.

A stronger institutional safety net has also been established to support Korean businesses operating locally. Both countries have signed a customs agreement to share information on dutiable value, origin verification, and customs clearance legitimacy. In the field of intellectual property, the two countries will share policies, legal systems, and examination experiences, and cooperate on joint crackdowns at the border to prevent counterfeit key brand products.

Cooperation against transnational crimes was also included. The police of both countries will share information for joint investigations into terrorism, drug crimes, cybercrimes, and fugitives. Given that Tajikistan shares a border of over 1,300 kilometers with Afghanistan, this is particularly significant in creating a public security cooperation channel to block the flow of transnational crimes such as drug trafficking into Central Asia.

The Financial Intelligence Unit of Korea and the National Bank of Tajikistan will also exchange financial information related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. Additionally, institutional cooperation foundations were established in areas such as digital forest restoration, climate response, education and Korean language education, anti-corruption, HR administration, and occupational safety and health.

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