President Lee Jae Myung to Upgrade Ties with Kazakhstan to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'—First Elevation in 17 Years

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung will hold successive summits on the 15th with the presidents of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, who are visiting South Korea on state visits, continuing summit diplomacy with Central Asian countries.
According to Kang Yoo-jung, senior presidential spokesperson at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee will begin with an official welcoming ceremony for Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow at Cheong Wa Dae, followed by a summit meeting and state luncheon. The leaders plan to exchange views broadly on the direction of bilateral relations, ways to expand practical cooperation, and regional and international affairs.
After the summit, 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between government ministries of the two countries will be exchanged in the presence of both leaders. A state luncheon attended by about 50 key figures from both countries will follow. The meal has been prepared as traditional Korean cuisine, incorporating President Berdimuhamedow’s preferences while blending the culinary cultures and ingredients of both countries.
For President Berdimuhamedow, who enjoys horseback riding, President Lee will present a cloisonné frame reproducing Goguryeo’s Muyongchong Hunting Scene using the cloisonné technique.
After completing the official schedule with Turkmenistan, President Lee will hold a summit with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The two leaders will focus their discussions on future areas of bilateral cooperation, including the economy and trade, energy and critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI) and science and technology, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
In particular, the summit will elevate relations between South Korea and Kazakhstan to a “future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership,” 17 years after their previous upgrade. The government expects this to raise the level of strategic cooperation by expanding the existing focus on trade and investment to include economic security, high-tech industries, and science and technology.
Following the summit, 13 MOUs between government ministries will be exchanged in the presence of both leaders. A state dinner attended by about 50 figures from various sectors of both countries will then be held. The dinner will also feature Korean cuisine prepared with consideration for President Tokayev’s preferences and Kazakhstan’s characteristics.
Taking into account President Tokayev’s fondness for table tennis and Kazakhstan’s hosting of the 2027 World Taekwondo Championships, President Lee has prepared premium table tennis rackets engraved with the national flags of both countries and a taekwondo uniform as gifts.
Meanwhile, to welcome the state visits of the two leaders, the government plans to display the Taegeukgi, Turkmenistan’s flag, and Kazakhstan’s flag on the media façade of Lotte Tower and the outdoor electronic billboards at Government Complex Seoul, respectively. Welcome messages will be shown in Korean and the languages of the two countries.
The official welcoming ceremonies will also be arranged on a scale befitting state visits. From the moment the two leaders’ vehicles enter Cheong Wa Dae, about 70 members of the traditional honor guard and chwita band will escort them, while about 280 personnel, including the honor guards of the three branches of the armed forces, will line the event venue. A 30-member children’s welcoming delegation, including 10 children from each country, will also attend to greet the two leaders.
[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter