Kazakhstan, South Korea Strengthen Cooperation in Energy, Employment and Culture

Seoul, The Gulf Observer: Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation across energy, employment, science and technology, infrastructure, intellectual property and cultural fields, following talks between the two countries’ leaders in Seoul.

Following the talks, the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan and South Korea exchanged verbal notes on elevating bilateral relations to the level of a future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership, according to Kazakhstan’s Akorda press service.

In the presence of the two heads of state, officials from the countries exchanged a series of intergovernmental and interagency documents aimed at expanding practical cooperation.

Among the agreements was a framework on cooperation in the oil industry between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy and South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

The two sides also signed a framework document on developing scientific and technological talent between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education and South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT.

A memorandum of understanding was concluded between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor on the sending and recruitment of workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS).

Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy was also strengthened through memoranda between Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency and relevant South Korean ministries. The agreements cover nuclear energy cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, climate and energy.

The countries additionally signed an agreement on intellectual property cooperation and a memorandum between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction and South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on urban and infrastructure development.

The agreements form part of broader efforts by Astana and Seoul to expand cooperation beyond traditional areas into energy, technology, infrastructure, human resources and other sectors.

The talks were held ahead of the first South Korea–Central Asia summit in Seoul, bringing together South Korea and the five Central Asian countries to discuss trade, investment, energy, critical minerals and supply-chain cooperation.