Diplomacy Journal Lee Sung Jun | In his recent interview published on January 5, 2026, in the newspaper Turkistan, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev offered a comprehensive and candid assessment of the country’s development trajectory, laying out his vision for Kazakhstan’s path towards modernization. His remarks reflect not only impressive economic achievements, but also deep structural changes shaping the future of our nation. He stated that “This year will be pivotal for our country, as a number of critically important events will take place that will define Kazakhstan’s development trajectory for many years to come.”
Dynamic Economic Growth
President Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan’s economy has demonstrated steady and robust growth, exceeding 6 percent in 2025. The country’s gross domestic product surpassed the landmark level of USD 300 billion, while GDP per capita exceeded USD 15,000. These figures represent record highs for Kazakhstan. Such achievements are the result of consistent reforms, prudent macroeconomic policy, and a clear focus on sustainable development.
Importantly, the President emphasized that economic growth is not an end in itself, but a foundation for improving the quality of life of citizens. Kazakhstan has made a significant leap forward on the path of modernization, becoming a more open, responsible, and civilized country. Today, there is a growing public understanding that large-scale reforms are essential to ensuring the prosperity of future generations.
I would like to mention here that Korea has emerged as one of the largest investors in Kazakhstan contributing to its economic growth. Today, almost 900 joint ventures with Korean capital successfully operate in Kazakhstan, including globally recognized companies such as Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, Shinhan Bank, BNK Bank, and POSCO.
Upgraded Infrastructure
Special attention in the interview was given to the modernization of energy and public utilities infrastructure. The Government has launched large-scale upgrades of energy facilities and public utilities, including the construction of hundreds of kilometers of engineering networks and the renewal of power transmission lines. These projects are critical for ensuring energy security, regional development, and reliable services for citizens and businesses alike.
Korean corporations such as KIND and other private-sector companies have significant potential to participate in major modernization projects. For instance, Doosan Enerbility has successfully established its presence in Kazakhstan, securing a significant project to build a combined cycle power plant in Shymkent, a southern industrial city.
A Regional Transport Node
President Tokayev underscored that strengthening Kazakhstan’s transit and logistics potential is a task of strategic importance. Despite being a landlocked country, Kazakhstan is at the crossroads of major international trade routes at the very heart of Eurasian landmass. This geographical advantage, the President noted, must be used wisely to promote international cooperation.
Kazakhstan has a clear vision and determination to transform itself into a regional logistical player. A key step in this direction is the commissioning of the new Dostyk–Moyynty railway line, which will increase freight capacity between China and Europe fivefold along this route.
Today, 12 international transport corridors – five railway and seven road corridors – pass through Kazakhstan, carrying up to 85 percent of all overland freight traffic between China and Europe. Kazakhstan is actively involved in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. Korean companies could use this route for supply of its products to Europe, as its cost and time efficiency is increasing rapidly year by year.
Focus on Artificial Intelligence
A central theme of the interview was Kazakhstan’s strategic focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence. The President emphasized that Kazakhstan has strong starting conditions, including notable achievements in the digitalization of public services, fintech, and various sectors of the economy.
A full-fledged ecosystem supporting IT startups is already in place. The Astana Hub innovation cluster brings together around 2,000 companies, while total IT services exports reached approximately USD 1 billion in 2025. A pilot CryptoCity zone for digital assets is being established, and construction has begun on Alatau City, a new smart city. A dedicated Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has been established.
Considerable attention is being paid to human capital development: more than 650,000 students have completed training under the AI-Sana program, and a specialized AI research university will be established in the near future. Significantly, 2026 has been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, which the President described as a historic opportunity for Kazakhstan.
In this context, I would like to invite the readers’ attention to the similar focus on AI both in Kazakhstan and Korea, making our countries natural partners.
Rare Earth Metals: A New Priority
Another critical issue highlighted in the interview concerns rare earth and critical minerals. Global demand for these materials is expected to double over the next five years, opening a new window of opportunity for Kazakhstan. The President noted that the country may well become one of the global leaders in rare earth mineral reserves.
To strengthen its position in this strategically important field, Kazakhstan has begun expanding cooperation with the United States, South Korea, Japan,
China, Russia, and several European Union countries. This reflects Kazakhstan’s commitment to responsible resource development and diversified international partnerships.
Given the new potential areas, KIGAM, POSCO and other Korean companies and entities are invited to partner with Kazakhstan to explore opportunities for partnerships.
Tourism and Kazakhstan’s Global Image
President Tokayev noted positive trends in tourism. In the past year, millions of foreign visitors traveled to Kazakhstan, while domestic tourism also gained momentum. According to CNN Travel, Almaty was named one of the popular destinations in the world – an important recognition of the country’s growing cultural and creative appeal on the global stage.
Here, we can see similar patterns in tourism exchanges between our two countries. During the first nine months of 2025, Kazakhstan received 41,400 Korean visitors, a 20 percent increase, while 46,500 Kazakh citizens visited Korea, reflecting 12 percent growth.
According to data from the digital travel platform, Agoda, Kazakhstan is emerging as a new favorite destination in Central Asia, recording “a 295 percent year-on-year increase in search volume among South Korean travelers”. The launch of Eastar Jet’s new Incheon–Almaty route facilitated trips to Almaty, with search interest rising by 348 percent. Meanwhile, Shymkent, a Silk Road city, has also benefited from SCAT Airlines’ launch of a direct flight from Incheon last year, showing in an 89 percent increase in searches.
In this context, we invite Korean tour operators to explore Kazakhstan’s hidden gems and to develop new travel packages that will further strengthen people-to-people exchanges between our two countries.
Widening Horizons for Kazakhstan-Korea Cooperation
Overall, the President noted that “the 35th anniversary of Independence is a landmark date. It offers an opportunity to critically assess the path we have taken and to chart new plans for the future.”
In light of these efforts, we at the Embassy believe that the priorities outlined by President Tokayev open new horizons for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Korea. Korea’s advanced technologies and experience in infrastructure, artificial intelligence, logistics, and critical materials make it a natural partner in Kazakhstan’s modernization. Joint projects across these areas can further strengthen our enhanced strategic partnership. Kazakhstan views cooperation with Korea not only as an economic opportunity, but as a long-term investment in shared prosperity, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Kazakhstan’s new stage of modernization is built on openness, reform, and international collaboration. In this journey, Korea remains one of our most trusted and forward-looking partners.
