Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan met with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev on Wednesday, October 15, at the Lotte Hotel Seoul to discuss key issues in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev was accompanied by four senior officials, including Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, and Olzhas Saparbekov, Vice Minister of Industry and Construction.

Minister Kim and Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev noted the close and mutually beneficial relationship that has developed between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. They agreed on the need to further strengthen cooperation in various fields, including manufacturing, plant construction, and critical mineral supply chains, amid rapidly changing global trade conditions.

During the meeting, Minister Kim proposed expanding collaboration in manufacturing and raised business concerns regarding the lack of logistics infrastructure for Kia’s new operations in Kazakhstan and the circulation of counterfeit Korean home appliances. He requested the Kazakh government’s attention and support to resolve these issues promptly. On plant sector cooperation, Minister Kim called for greater participation by Korean companies in new projects and support for ongoing construction projects. Regarding critical mineral supply chains, he suggested enhancing cooperation through the establishment of the Rare Metals Technology Cooperation Center, which will be supported by MOTIR’s official development assistance (ODA) program beginning next year.

On Kazakhstan’s Alatau City development project, Minister Kim emphasized that Korea possesses advanced technologies and extensive experience in areas such as eco-friendly development, artificial intelligence, and future mobility, and expressed hope to continue close cooperation in these fields.