President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Korea and Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik in Astana, reaffirming the strong partnership between the two countries, DKNews.kz reports.

The meeting highlighted the steady development of bilateral relations and the intention to deepen cooperation across key sectors.

Strategic partnership in focus

Tokayev emphasized that South Korea remains one of Kazakhstan’s key strategic partners and noted the positive momentum in bilateral ties.

The President also pointed to the traditionally warm attitude toward the Korean people in Kazakhstan and praised the country’s dynamic development.

Your visit is of great significance for further strengthening Kazakh–Korean cooperation. I am confident that, through joint efforts, cooperation between our countries will continue to develop steadily, – Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

Congratulations and new political context

Kang Hoon-sik conveyed congratulations from President Lee Jae Myung on the successful holding of the referendum on Kazakhstan’s new Constitution.

The meeting also reflected the importance of political dialogue at a time of institutional reforms in Kazakhstan.

Expanding economic and sectoral cooperation

The Korean side reaffirmed its interest in elevating bilateral relations to a new level.

Key areas of cooperation discussed included:

• trade and economic ties
• investment projects
• energy sector collaboration
• transport and logistics development

The parties also considered the impact of global market challenges on joint initiatives.

Invitation to Seoul and regional format

Kang Hoon-sik delivered an official invitation from President Lee Jae Myung for Tokayev to visit Seoul.

The invitation includes participation in the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” summit scheduled for September.

Tokayev accepted the invitation and expressed confidence in the outcomes of future high-level talks.

Why this matters

The meeting underscores the growing importance of Kazakhstan–South Korea relations within a broader regional and global context.

Key implications include:

• strengthening of strategic partnerships in Asia
• expansion of investment and technology cooperation
• development of regional dialogue formats
• reinforcement of Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy

The upcoming summit and high-level exchanges are expected to give new momentum to bilateral ties and deepen cooperation between Central Asia and South Korea.