Story perspectives

South Korea, Kazakhstan sign $19B strategic partnership deals

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 10:38 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

South Korea and Kazakhstan elevated relations to a Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and signed $19 billion of agreements.
Presidents Lee Jae Myung and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a nuclear-energy memorandum of understanding among 13 documents.
The two countries agreed on joint critical-mineral projects, including Bakennoye lithium drilling and rare-earth processing.
Hyundai Engineering and QazaqGaz will build a Karachaganak gas plant processing 5 billion cubic metres annually.

History

Historical Context

Since establishing diplomatic ties on 28 January 1992, South Korea and Kazakhstan have deepened cooperation through successive state visits—Nazarbayev’s 2003 and Tokayev’s 2021 trips and Yoon Suk-yeol’s 2024 visit that upgraded their partnership. Early energy deals, such as the 2009 $5 billion agreement, paved the way for today’s large nuclear and mineral projects, while Korean investment now totals $9.6 billion.

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Story summary

South Korea and Kazakhstan elevated relations to a Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and signed $19 billion of agreements.
Presidents Lee Jae Myung and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a nuclear-energy memorandum of understanding among 13 documents.
The two countries agreed on joint critical-mineral projects, including Bakennoye lithium drilling and rare-earth processing.
Hyundai Engineering and QazaqGaz will build a Karachaganak gas plant processing 5 billion cubic metres annually.

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