Commemorating the 20th Anniversary

The Republic of Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on December 16, 1991. January 28, 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea. Today, the bilateral relationship between the two countries is closer than ever before. This was made possible through the collaborative efforts of both countries' heads of state. The initiative was taken by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, His Excellency Nursultan Nazarbayev, when he made his first state visit to Korea in 1995, followed by a second in 2003. In response, Korea's former President Roh Moo-hyun made a state visit to Kazakhstan in 2004.

To this day, the exchange of high-level delegations, including inter-parliamentarian cooperation, is conducted regularly. In addition, the Chairmen of Kazakh Parliament Chambers and Speakers of the National Assembly have arranged to meet regularly to discuss various issues of mutual concern. In September 2006, the Prime Minister of Korea paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. The visit created a strong desire to further deepen bilateral cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres.

At the Second Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on June 17, 2006, Seoul was declared a full member of the forum; CICA was initiated by the President of Kazakhstan in 1992. This was also the year that Kazakhstan established official bilateral diplomatic relations with Korea, opening the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan the following year. Soon afterwards, the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan formally opened the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul.

A strategic partnership was established following the state visit of His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea, to Kazakhstan in May 2009. President Lee was given highest state award in Kazakhstan “Altyn Kyran.” In turn, President Nursultan Nazarbayev was given the highest state decoration of Korea “The Grand Order of Mugunghwa” for his distinct contribution in strengthening bilateral relations. Furthermore, the President of Kazakhstan accepted an invitation from President Lee to participate in the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, allowing the two heads of state to meet once again. With the leaders of both countries expressing satisfaction with the strategic partnership between Astana and Seoul, further development of cooperation agreements is underway in areas such as trade, investment, energy, mining, ecology, healthcare, pharmaceutical, IT technologies, and agriculture.

2010 was deemed “The Year of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Korea”, while 2011 was deemed “The Year of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of Kazakhstan.” Approximately 120 cultural events, such as concerts, exhibitions and cinema days took place in different cities in both countries over the last 2 years. Among such events, the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Korea conducted cultural events in Seoul, Daegu and Suwon under the umbrella of H.E. Darkhan Berdaliyev, who has served as the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea for two different periods over the past 7 years.

It is worth noting that the main field of cooperation between the two countries is, of course, economic collaboration. In 2005, bilateral trade volumes reached US$514 million, with US$242 million in Kazakhstan exports and US$272 million in imports from Korea. In the 3rd quarter of 2011, goods turnover between the countries amounted to approximately US$591 million, which was more than the annual volume in 2005. In comparison to the same period of the previous year, the figure also rose more than 8%. In terms of investment, Korea has invested more than US$2 billion in Kazakhstan for the last 12 years, with approximately 300 companies with Korean capital currently registered in Kazakhstan. Since the beginning of 2010, such economic indicators have been rapidly on the rise, in spite of the world economy slowing down and a number of financial uncertainties on the international level. For this, Kazakhstan's Intergovernmental Trade-Economic, Science and Technology Commission played an important role in furthering the development of bilateral economic cooperation.

The most promising areas of effective interaction between the two countries are in the spheres of energy and minerals. Five Korean companies have formed the Korean consortium for Caspian oil projects. Other noticeable roles in enhancing economic ties are played by the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Science-Technical Cooperation as well as the Committee on Energy Cooperation.

Korea, with its advanced technologies and high quality products, has become one of the most desired business partners for Kazakhstan. The world-renown Korean leading companies such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, KIA, STX, SK, and POSCO have played a vital role for the development of Kazakhstan.

Most recently, during the state visit of President Lee Myung-Bak to Kazakhstan in August 2011, a set of agreements regarding construction of the "Balkhash" thermal power plant and petrochemical complex in Atyrau City, totally worth over US$8 billion, were signed at the Kazakhstan-Korea Business Forum in Astana. The main framework for this project had been signed on March 25, 2009 between JSC Samruk-Energy, KEPCO and Samsung. Another agreement for constructing a petrochemical complex in Atyrau City was signed among the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and LG Chemical and Korea Eximbank.

H.E. Darkhan Berdaliyev, the Kazakhstan Ambassador to Korea, gave an insight into how bilateral relations between the two countries have grown to what they are today, as well as a positive outlook on the continued fraternal collaboration between both nations. The ambassador said, "Ever since the end of the 1990s, Kazakhstan and Korea's bilateral relations have deepened, with Korean conglomerates paying significant attention to Kazakhstan's wealth of natural resources and potential as a secure nation on the fast track of becoming an economically leading nation in the 21st century. Likewise, Kazakhstan is keenly interested in Korea's wealth of advanced technologies, scientific research in raw material utilization, as well as its abilities in creating unique platforms within Kazakhstan for joint products targeting markets in the vicinity. Furthermore, Kazakhstan has great interest in studying the Korean model of forming its economy on knowledge and development of human resources."

Other areas of collaboration between the two countries include more than 300 joint venture companies using Korean capital registered in Kazakhstan. In addition, seven documents were signed regarding cooperation in the fields of energy, transportation, construction, and telecommunication technologies during President Lee Myung-bak's state visit in 2009. In 2010, during President Nursultan Nazarbayev's state visit, a further 23 documents were signed worth US$1 billion in the spheres of oil, gas, petrochemical, machinery manufacturing, atomic energy, uranium exploration, construction, and grain exports, etc. An additional eight documents were signed during the Business Forum in Astana, including MOUs between the National Innovation Fund and Daedeok Innopolis; National Agency on Export and Investment “KAZNEX INVEST” and Hyundai Engineering and Construction; National ICT Holding “Zerde” and ETRI on cooperation in IT; National Biotechnology Center and Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology; Kazakhstan Institute on Industry Development and Korea Institute of Energy Research on technological collaboration; Committee of Geology and Resource Exploitation and Korea Resources Corporation.

Currently, further cooperation in IT, innovation, biotechnology, bioscience, and telecommunications are in development. The first Kazakhstan-Korea Center for Technological Cooperation in Astana followed by a second in Daejeon was created under the supervision of the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea, who hosted the “2011 Kazakhstan-Korea Joint Cooperation Seminar” on November 17 in Daejeon. In particular, with the President of Kazakhstan visiting Korea for the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, further collaborations between the two countries are expected.

With rising global interest in ecology, an MOU of cooperation in the field of environment protection has been also signed, along with an action program to implement policies of supply and usage of modern technologies for vehicles operating on natural gas in Kazakhstan between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Environment of Korea, which has further expanded cooperation between both countries' governmental bodies and companies related to ecology.

Ambassador Darkhan Berdaliyev, who is serving as the longest Kazahkstan ambassador to Korea, his first term running from 2003 to 2006 and the second from 2008 until the present, provided his insight into perhaps why the two countries feel a close bond. "The close ties between Kazakhstan and Korea could be somewhat related to historical ties between the two nations, both having arose from the Altay region as well as the Kazakh and Korean languages, which belong to the Altay group of languages. In addition, Kazakhstan has a large Korean ethnic community, one that is an inseparable part of the Kazakhstan nation. Therefore, one of the most important factors of strong ties between Kazakhstan and Korea is that it is easier to communicate and establish relations among our two peoples, including business."

In December 2005, Kangam University and the Kazakh National State University and Kyzylorda State University opened the Department of Kazakhstan Studies. At present, more than 3,000 Kazakhstan citizens live in Korea, many involved in small and medium-sized enterprises. There are currently some 35 students from Kazakhstan studying in Korean universities.

This year is especially meaningful because it marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Kazakhstan. Both nations must take time to ponder what benefits these 20 years have brought, as well as what areas require further cooperation. With that, sincere appreciation should be extended to all who made a difference, including all ambassadors stationed at the Kazakhstan Embassy of to Korea, especially H.E. Darkhan Berdaliyev, whose efforts have been recognized by various governmental bodies and businesses, and who has been declared an Honorable Citizen of Seoul and Ulsan and received an Honorable Doctorate from Hannam University as well as Ulsan University.