Relationship dossier
Kazakhstan
South Korea
Relationship assessment
A sustained strategic partnership spanning investment, energy, transport and technology
Kazakhstan toward South Korea
+50Kazakhstan has developed a strategic partnership with South Korea, enhanced in 2019, and has pursued bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, transport and technology. Kazakhstan has also welcomed South Korean investment and engaged in agreements covering areas such as critical minerals.
South Korea toward Kazakhstan
+50South Korea has developed a strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, enhanced in 2019, and supported bilateral cooperation through investment, development assistance and agreements in areas including energy, transport and technology.
Overall relationship
+50The relationship rests on a durable strategic partnership, repeated government engagement and practical cooperation across investment, energy, transport and technology. These features support a substantially cooperative relationship, while the scale and implementation of specific projects remain uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Kazakhstan and South Korea have developed a sustained strategic partnership, upgraded in 2009 and enhanced in 2019. Their governments have pursued cooperation in trade, investment, energy, transport, technology and development assistance. South Korean companies have invested in Kazakhstan, while bilateral agreements and high-level engagement have supported broader cooperation, including on critical minerals and energy.
Key developments
Kazakhstan and South Korea established a strategic partnership.
The two governments upgraded their relationship to an enhanced strategic partnership.
The governments pursued agreements and cooperation on energy, critical minerals and other sectors during South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's visit to Kazakhstan.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and long-term scope of agreements on energy and critical minerals are unclear.
- The scale and continuity of South Korean development assistance and investment projects are uncertain.