In celebration of the National Day of Kazakhstan
By Publisher Lee Kyung-sik with Vice Chairpersons Choe Nam-suk, Joy Cho, Editor Sung Jung-wook
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurgali Arystanov said, “Over the short span of 32 years, Kazakhstan today has emerged as a mature state and responsible member of the international community, with an active foreign policy, dynamic economy and vibrant civil society.”
Speaking at a gala reception hosted by Ambassador Nurgalui Arystanov and his spouse Mrs. Dilyara Arystanova at the spacious Grand Ballroom of the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Oct. 25, 2023 on the occasion of the National Day of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Arystanov said, “This kind of progress has been possible, thanks to the crucial support of close friends and strategic partners, among them the Republic Korea, who plays a major role, with which we enjoy the enhanced strategic partnership.”
The spacious grand ballroom of the Lotte Hotel was filled with Korean and international dignitaries and guests from all walks of life, including the business community, the Seoul Diplomatic Corps and the mass communications media whence came Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik with an entrage of reportorial-editorial personnel for its five news media, e.g. www.koreapost.com (English) and www.koreapost.co.kr (Korean).
An estimated total of over 300 distinguished guests from all walks of life in Korea and around the world attended the reception congratulating the host on the auspicious occasion of Kazakhstan, and enjoyed the wonderful food and beverage as well as the celebration atmosphere.
Ambassador Arystanov’s speech was well responded to by a congratulatory speech by Ms. Kim Hyo-eun, Vice Minister for Climate Change of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea.
She said, “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 1992, we have indeed nurtured deep ties of close friendship and cooperation in a range of fields, based on the strong trust and bonds.”
Then she said, “The affinity and solidarity built through various opportunities such as the summit on the occasion of the 78th United Nations General Assembly last September, Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis Speaker, H.E. Mr. Koshanov’s visit to Korea to attend the 1st Korea-Central Asia National Assembly Speakers' Meeting last September, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Park Jin’s official visit to Kazakhstan last May.” (See further details of the speech of Vice Minister Kim at the end of this report.)
As part of the event, guests watched videos about Kazakhstan's achievements and view national souvenirs, printed materials, and samples of traditional Kazakh cuisine. In addition, the guests listened to music from Kazakhstan's national instruments and get acquainted with the country's culture and history.
Over 86 years ago, in difficult times, Korea was sincerely appreciative of the Kazakh government and people who warmly embraced the ethnic Koreans who emigrated to Kazakhstan.
The Korean people find coming to their mind a Kazakh proverb: “A tree must have deep roots to be strong. A person needs to have friends to feel secure.”
Kazakhstan–Korea relations:
On Sept. 20, 2023, there was a bilateral summit meeting between the Presidents of the Korea and Kazakhstan at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in the United States.
The topic of discussion was the prospects for further development of the Kazakh-Korean strategic partnership.
President Tokayev noted that friendly relations have developed between Kazakhstan and Korea, in which the dynamic development of economic ties is of particular importance.
The President of Kazakhstan emphasized that the bilateral trade turnover shows steady growth, exceeding US$6 billion last year. At the same time, the total investment of Korean companies in the economy of Kazakhstan exceeded 8 billion dollars, securing a firm position among the top 10 major investors in our country.
As noted by the Head of State, more than 700 Korean companies and joint ventures are operating in our country today. An example is the active presence of such companies as KIA, Hyundai, Samsung, LG and others in the market of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting President Tokayev outlined promising areas of economic cooperation in the mining of rare earth metals, development of nuclear energy.
In turn, Korean President Yoon noted that Korea is interested in further deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation with Kazakhstan. According to him, Korean companies express particular interest in expanding existing and implementing new projects in mechanical engineering, mining and nuclear power.
Diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan were established on Jan. 28, 1992, shortly after Kazakhstan's independence. Bilateral relations have grown steadily since that time. Cooperation between the two nations has grown in political, economic, and educational spheres. The presence of 100,000 ethnic Koreans living in Kazakhstan (known as Koryo-saram) creates an additional link between the two countries.
In the late 1930s, thousands of Koreans in the Soviet Union were deported to Central Asia, supposedly to prevent further Japanese espionage. These people are now known as Goryo-saram (literally, Korean people). It is estimated that, as was briefly mentioned afore, a total 100,000 ethnic Koreans live in the territory of Kazakhstan. The presence of these ethnic Koreans helps to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Korea and Kazakhstan formally established diplomatic relations in January 1992. Soon thereafter South Korea opened its embassy in Almaty, and in 1996 Kazakhstan opened its embassy in Seoul.
Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev has made five official visits to Korea, in 1995, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2016. In 2004, Korean president Roh Moo Hyun visited Kazakhstan. His successor, Lee Myung-bak, visited Kazakhstan in 2009. President Park Geun-hye visited Kazakhstan in 2014 where she and President Nazarbayev agreed to strengthen economic and investment cooperation and technology exchange. President Moon Jae-In visited Kazakhstan in 2019.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a state visit to the Republic of Korea on Aug. 16-17, 2021, and has become first foreign leader to visit South Korea amid pandemic. Low-level officials, including ministers and mayors, make regular visits between the two countries.
Economic relations:
The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul, South Korea. Since independence, Korea and Kazakhstan have witnessed deepening economic ties, as Kazakhstan has become Korea's most important trading partner in Central Asia.
Korean businesses have invested more than US$ 9 billion in Kazakhstan, and Korean investors have assets in more than 700 companies in Kazakhstan.
Korea's major exports to Kazakhstan include automobiles, televisions, and other electronics. Kazakh exports primarily raw materials, including copper and zinc, to South Korea.
Korean companies are also involved in Kazakhstan's oil industry.
The Korean Consortium of the Caspian Oil Project, which is led by the Korea National Oil Company and includes SK Corporation, LG International, Samsung, and Daesung Industrial, is involved in the development of the Zhambyl oil field, located in the Caspian Sea.
Under the agreement, the consortium will own 27% of drilling rights, with the option to purchase up to 50% of the rights, depending on what is found after further exploration. The field is estimated to hold 1 billion barrels of crude oil.
In May 2009 the two countries signed an agreement for Korean investments in Kazakhstan's energy and technology sectors totaling over US$5 billion. The agreement includes a US$2.5 billion investment by Korean companies in a new power plant in southern Kazakhstan.
The two countries also had productive talks during the 13th Central Asia-South Korea Cooperation Forum in Seoul, in which they discussed the consequences and opportunities for economic cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the removal of remaining barriers to trade and improving product quality and competitiveness.
In 2005 the Association for Kazakhstan Studies in Korea (AKSK) was founded in response to South Korean president Roh's visit to Kazakhstan. The association aims to improve bilateral relations between the two countries as well as improve academic study of the different ethnicities in Kazakhstan.
The oldest Korean-language newspaper outside of the Korean peninsula, Koryo Ilbo, celebrated its 100th anniversary with events both in Kazakhstan and in South Korea.
The Korean Theatre of Kazakhstan, an ethnic theatre for Koryo-saram in Almaty, has served as a cultural link for South Korea and Kazakhstan. The theatre has been visited by prominent South Korean politicians, and in 2023 it served as a venue for a joint South Korean-Kazakh play during a cultural exchange year.
Congratulatory message by Ambassador Nurgali Arystanov of Kazakhstan:
Your Excellency, Deputy Minister Kim Hyoeun,
Dear colleagues, Your Excellences,
Dear friends!
Құрметті отандастар!
Сіздерді Республика Күнімен шын жүректен құттықтаймын!
First of all, let me extent my sincere appreciation for being with us today!
It gives me a great pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations to fellow Kazakh citizens on the Republic Day, the day when Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty.
Over the short span of 32 years, Kazakhstan today has emerged as a mature state and responsible member of the international community, with an active foreign policy, dynamic economy and vibrant civil society.
This kind of progress has been possible, thanks to the crucial support of close friends and strategic partners. Among friendly countries, the Republic Korea plays a major role, with which we enjoy the enhanced strategic partnership. Korea for us the 4th largest trade partner and 6th largest foreign investor.
As a result of a regular dialogue between our Presidents and Foreign Ministers, bilateral cooperation receives a fresh impetus. At a recent fruitful meeting in New York, President H. E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President H. E. Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to further promote friendship, enhance political cooperation and commercial partnership.
Foreign Minister H.E. Park Jin's May trip to Kazakhstan and his meeting with Foreign Minister H.E. Murat Nurtleu covered an entire range of issues and provided a significant boost to bilateral ties.
The launch of the legislative track of C5+K and September visit by Speaker the Honorable Yerlan Koshanov elevated the parliamentary ties to a new level.
Our cooperation rests on the rock-solid foundation of genuine friendship between Kazakh and Korean peoples. Therefore, we will not spare any effort to advance people to people ties. At this point, we have all the conditions conducive for this purpose. Air Astana and Asiana Airlines together operate 11 flights a week between Almaty and Seoul, two major cities only 6 hours apart from each other.
Our citizens can visit Kazakhstan and Korea without a visa for up to one month, which facilitates direct contacts among officials, chief executives, cultural figures, experts and scholars. In promoting better mutual understanding, ethnic Koreans of Kazakhstan play a vital role, as they act like a bridge connecting our nations.
With the mutual desire to promote bilateral cooperation, I am sure that the horizons of our engagement will expand drastically in the years to come.
Especially, I want to emphasize our cooperation in the field of climate change issues, green economy and sustainable development. From December 2022 Kazakhstan became the 45th member of the GGGI, initiated by the Korean Government. Now, we are actively preparing to 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28), which will be held from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai. Kazakhstan took strong commitment in achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 by finalizing Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS).
Your Excellency, Deputy Minister Kim Hyoeun,
I take this opportunity to extend our deep gratitude to the Government of Korea, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the warm welcome and constructive support extended to the Embassy staff and Kazakh citizens in Korea.
On this auspicious occasion, let me express our confidence that Kazakhstan-Korea cooperation and friendship will flourish in the years ahead.
Long live Kazakh-Korean friendship!
Kamsahamida.
Text of speech by Vice Minister Ms. Kim Hyo-eun the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change:
Your Excellency. Ambassador Mr. Nurgali Arystanov,
Distinguished Guests, Salemetsiz be!
It is my great pleasure to make these congratulatory remarks on behalf of the Korean government on this occasion in celebration of the 32nd anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence and the 31st anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Ladies and gentlemen, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992, we have indeed nurtured deep ties of close friendship and cooperation in a range of fields, based on the strong trust and bonds.
The affinity and solidarity built through various opportunities such as: “The summit on the occasion of the 78th United Nations General Assembly last September”; “Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis Speaker, H.E. Mr. Koshanov’s visit to Korea to attend the 1st Korea-Central Asia National Assembly Speakers' Meeting last September”; and “Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Park Jin’s official visit to Kazakhstan last May.
These have all laid a strong foundation for the further nurturing of our mutually beneficial collaboration as Strategic Partners.
Last year, the trade volume between Korea and Kazakhstan reached an all-time high of US$6.5 billion.
And it is expected that the record will be broken again this year. Moreover, the achievements in the economic collaboration between the two countries are becoming so tangible that there are even two Korean automobile companies in the list of Kazakhstan’s domestic car sales the ‘Big 3’.
And the shared efforts between the two countries go beyond the economic field – the synergy is further broadening to encompass various future-oriented fields such as the health, digital, environment and education fields.
As member countries of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), an international organization headquartered in Seoul, Korea and Kazakhstan are working together in the response to climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In this process of further developing the ties between the two nations, the Korean community in Kazakhstan, our fellow countrymen and women, have played a really meaningful bridging role. This has bonded us all the more.
86 years ago, in difficult times, we were sincerely appreciative of the Kazakh government and people who warmly embraced the ethnic Koreans who emigrated to Kazakhstan.
I find coming to mind a Kazakh proverb: “A tree must have deep roots to be strong, A person needs to have friends to feel secure.”
The Korean government, with the ever stronger sense of trust and bonds between our nations as a firm basis, will indeed be glad to travel with Kazakhstan the path of nurturing a new Kazakhstan. We will gladly be good friends to you in this process.
I would like to once again convey my sincere congratulations on Kazakhstan’s 32nd anniversary of independence.
Kop Rakhmet! Thank you.