Kazakhstan and South Korea are shifting from basic trade to deeper technological cooperation. While relations were previously built mainly on raw material exports and imports of Korean technologies, the two countries are now moving toward joint development of innovations and digital solutions. The educational programs held in Seoul by QazTrade and KOSME, as well as the working meeting in Almaty, demonstrated a new stage that may significantly strengthen technological cooperation in the coming years.
According to QazTrade’s Center for Trade Policy Development, Kazakhstan–Korea trade turnover for January–October 2025 amounted to $2.5 billion, down 5.8% from the previous year. Kazakhstan’s exports totaled $0.7 billion, mainly due to a 51% drop in crude oil shipments and a decline in titanium and tantalum exports — reflecting the global trend of decreasing raw material demand.
Imports from Korea, on the other hand, increased by nearly 30%, reaching $1.9 billion. Kazakhstan actively imports technological goods: auto components, engines, vehicle bodies, electronics and industrial automation equipment, with some categories showing growth by tens of times.
Cooperation between QazTrade and KOSME strengthens the capabilities of Kazakh IT companies and gives them direct access to advanced Korean practices. The 10-day program in Seoul allowed participants to learn firsthand about digital transformation, startup scaling and AI implementation methods.
The program included RPART, AG TECH, SanaMed and AiMap — developers of solutions in digital analytics, agrotechnology, medical IT services and geoinformation platforms.
“The knowledge we gained allowed us to adapt Korean experience to real projects and the needs of the Kazakhstani market. These are not academic lectures but practical tools that help Korea create some of the most competitive technologies in the world. We saw how Korea turns startups into global companies. The most valuable part is their practical methodology: AI implementation, digital architecture, quality standards. It is nearly impossible to obtain such experience independently,” said program participant Alisher Bektas.
Ainur Amirbekova, QazTrade’s Managing Director for Export Development, emphasized the systemic nature of the cooperation:
**“QazTrade highly values its partnership with KOSME, which has already produced tangible results in the form of training seminars and expanded expert support for our exporters. Today, new opportunities are opening up, and we see significant potential in further institutional strengthening of this cooperation.
This is why we propose considering the signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding between QazTrade and KOSME as an important step in the systematic development of collaboration. Such an agreement would allow us not only to continue the successful educational initiatives but also to jointly develop new support mechanisms for the participants of the Export Acceleration Program in 2026 — from expert consultations to specialized services aimed at improving the competitiveness of Kazakhstani companies in international markets. We are confident that combining the experience and competencies of our organizations will bring additional value to businesses and elevate export support to a new level,”** she added.
The working meeting in Almaty reaffirmed the commitment to continue cooperation. The sides discussed establishing a joint working group, launching annual training cycles, integrating Kazakh IT companies into Korean accelerators, and implementing pilot AI solutions for SMEs.
Preparations for signing a framework agreement in 2026 are shaping the foundation for a long-term technological partnership.
Delegation members note that exposure to Korea’s technological ecosystem helps better understand international market requirements and approaches to building IT products. Expanding such programs creates conditions for a new format of cooperation and practical knowledge exchange between Kazakhstan and South Korea.