The success of this approach and attitude can be attributed to Seoul’s ability to manage domestic and foreign challenges and strengthen its multilateral approach, which could enhance Seoul’s role in Central Asia.
However, over the past three decades, Seoul has gradually paid more attention to Central Asia. By utilizing tools such as the Korean minority, cooperation with the United States, and the establishment of the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Institution in July 2017, Seoul has increased its regional meetings and influence in the region.
On a bilateral level, the South Korean government established strategic cooperation with Uzbekistan in 2006, which later led to the signing of an agreement to upgrade relations to a “special strategic partnership.” Relations with Kazakhstan have also become strategic.
A Significant part of the importance of Central Asia in Seoul’s foreign policy is security and geopolitical motives. The South Korea-Central Asia joint meetings serve as the most important platform for the development of relations between Korea and the region.
In June 2024, Seoul announced its first strategy for Central Asia, the “K-Silk Road Initiative.” In November 2024, five Central Asian countries were declared key partners.
In October 2024, the second meeting of the Speakers of the Parliaments of the Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea was held in Ashgabat. Indeed, interparliamentary dialogue has become more important in implementing agreements, strengthening the legal basis of cooperation, and the role of interparliamentary friendship groups.
Although the planned meeting between South Korea and the Central Asian countries, which was supposed to be held in 2025, was postponed to 2026 due to recent political developments in Seoul, domestic and foreign considerations, the positions of the Central Asian countries, budget cuts, etc. However, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, in telephone talks with the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in July 2025, emphasized the strengthening of the strategic partnership and his commitment to multilateral cooperation.
In June 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Central Asia. During his visit to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed. In November 2024, South Korea hosted the 17th Central Asia-Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum, which brought together 300 key business and government leaders on a range of issues.
In July 2025, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held telephone talks with the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, emphasizing increased trade, joint investments, and continued high-level cooperation.
Central Asia’s geographical proximity to Korea means lower costs for sourcing and importing resources.
The countries in the region have hydrocarbon and mineral resources (oil and gas, uranium and metals), and Seoul is trying to use uranium reserves as a suitable alternative to other energy sources by investing in the countries’ energy sectors, participating in the development of oil and gas refineries, and using them as a suitable alternative to other energy sources.
Тhe K-Silk Road program
In 2024, Seoul focused on strengthening partnerships with Central Asia, the K-Silk Road program, raw materials and minerals, development aid, cultural exchange, and cooperation. So, South Korea has signed agreements and memorandums of understanding with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan for geological exploration, improving the supply chain of vital minerals.
In a situation where climate change and environmental problems threaten Central Asia, South Korea is trying to be a leading player in the region with green policies, renewable energy, and dialogue between South Korea and Central Asian countries. South Korea’s YPP is set to invest about $3.1 billion in the production of hydrogen and green ammonia in Kazakhstan.
South Korea intends to reduce its dependence on other mineral resources, in addition to continuing to import oil and uranium, and trying to start mining lithium in Kazakhstan; being present in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, financing projects in Uzbekistan; and being present in Turkmenistan’s gas.
Seoul hopes to expand cooperation with Central Asia in key areas of the mineral supply chain in the event of a geopolitical situation and supply chain crisis.
South Korea has long faced challenges in land routes and sea routes. Therefore, in the field of transportation and logistics, it is considered the creation of integrated transport terminals and the connection and launch of advanced logistics centers in the countries of this region.
South Korea seems to be pursuing the idea of a trans-Asian railway and the possibility of rail transport between South Korea, North Korea, Russia, and China – as well as Central Asia – more seriously.
In the past two years, Seoul has made efforts to create an urban transport system in Bishkek, conduct a feasibility study for a 51-kilometer railway in Tajikistan, conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a Tashkent-Samarkand high-speed railway, and modernize Uzbekistan’s Urgench airport.
South Korea is interested in the presence of structural modernization, diversification of industrial sectors, the creation of special economic zones, and privatization in Central Asia.
Central Asia is an emerging market for South Korean products, and South Korea is also looking to invest in the region. There are 460-500 South Korean companies operating in Uzbekistan alone. More than half of South Korea’s investments in the region are directed to Kazakhstan.
Seoul builds bridges of friendship
As for Korea-Turkmenistan bilateral trade, it increased by 70 percent in the first quarter of 2025. The jump in trade and investment volumes of Korean companies in Kyrgyzstan (2024), presence among the top five trading partners of Uzbekistan in 2023, and major trade with Kazakhstan have been prominent.
Another dimension of Central Asian citizens’ migration to Korea for work has increased in the past few years. In 2023-2025, several agreements were signed with countries such as Tajikistan.
South Korea is advancing its soft power by increasing its cultural and entertainment influence, expanding Korean cultural institutions and scholarship students, branding the development model, Korean cultural and art centers, opening educational and university centers, a visa-free regime, direct flights, and a growing flow of tourists.
The presence of more than 500 thousand people of Korean descent in the region is also considered a bridge of friendship and cooperation.
Outlook
South Korea’s view of Central Asia is deep and based on a long-term geoeconomic and geopolitical approach.
Although South Korea’s most important priority in relations with the Central Asian region is the economy and energy, and exports of goods and technology, South Korea’s efforts to establish close political ties with Central Asia continue.
Although South Korea has previously taken an anti-Russian approach in the Ukraine war, Seoul even called for support for South Korea’s efforts to counter the alleged threat posed by North Korea-Russia cooperation in 2024.
However, it seems that the foreign policy of the new South Korean government will focus on multilateral balancing. Meanwhile, many in Seoul believe that South Korea’s foreign policy should find new coordinates and logically combine international alliances with a stance of self-reliance and “independence.”
The new government’s foreign policy seems to prioritize national interests and, with a non-ideological foreign policy, avoid hostile relations with regional powers, while maintaining a relationship with the United States, emphasize the need to improve relations with China and Russia, and seek an independent role in Central Asia.
The success of this approach and attitude can be attributed to Seoul’s ability to manage domestic and foreign challenges and strengthen its multilateral approach, which could enhance Seoul’s role in Central Asia.
Samyar Rostami, а political observer and senior researcher in international relations
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