Relationship dossier
South Korea
Turkmenistan
Relationship assessment
A practical partnership focused on energy and industrial projects
South Korea toward Turkmenistan
+35South Korea has supported economic cooperation with Turkmenistan, including through South Korean firms' participation in major energy and industrial projects there, such as gas-processing and chemical facilities.
Turkmenistan toward South Korea
+35Turkmenistan has awarded major energy and industrial project work to South Korean companies, including roles in gas-processing and chemical facilities, reflecting government-backed commercial cooperation.
Overall relationship
+30The relationship is defined by sustained, concrete cooperation on major energy and industrial projects, particularly the involvement of South Korean firms in Turkmenistan's gas sector. The partnership is meaningful but appears concentrated in commercial and energy cooperation; its wider political and institutional scope is less clear.
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
South Korea and Turkmenistan have developed a practical partnership centered on energy and industrial projects. South Korean companies have participated in major Turkmen gas-processing and chemical facilities, including projects backed by bilateral economic cooperation. The relationship appears cooperative, though its breadth beyond commercial and energy ties is less clear.
Key developments
South Korean companies, including LG International and Hyundai Engineering, participated in construction of the Kiyanly gas-to-gasoline plant, which opened in Turkmenistan.
A consortium including South Korean companies participated in construction of the Kiyanly polymer plant in Turkmenistan.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral economic agreements beyond major industrial projects are unclear.
- The scale of ongoing government-to-government cooperation outside energy and commerce is uncertain.