Lee Chang-yang Urges Kazakhstan to Show Interest in Korean Companies' Plant Project Contracts
by Park Eugenie
Published 14 Apr.2023 09:26(KST)
Meeting with Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister
Expecting Expansion of New Project Orders in Energy and Material Plants
Exploring Possibilities for Core Mineral Supply Chain Cooperation
Our government has urged active cooperation with Korean companies on a new plant project in Kazakhstan.
On the morning of the 14th, Lee Chang-yang, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, met with Roman Sklyar, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul to discuss current economic cooperation issues between the two countries.
Minister Lee emphasized the experience of cooperation between the two countries in infrastructure and energy projects such as the Almaty Outer Ring Expressway, the Tengiz oil field crude oil production plant, and the Shymkent combined heat and power plant. He requested continued interest to ensure smooth orders for new projects involving Korean companies, including plants.
They also explored the possibility of cooperation in critical mineral supply chains. An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained, “Kazakhstan is rich in mineral resources such as rare metals, and Korea possesses excellent technology and manpower necessary for mineral development, making it an optimal partner for establishing a stable supply chain of critical minerals,” adding, “We have agreed to maintain close communication with the Kazakhstan government to strengthen cooperation.”
Deputy Prime Minister Sklyar expressed interest and support for expanding economic exchanges with Korea, stating, “Kazakhstan operates a Korea-Kazakhstan Special Working Group to support the business activities of Korean companies.”
Meanwhile, last year marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan, during which trade cooperation between the two countries reached a record high of $6.5 billion. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, “This was the result of expanded automobile exports and crude oil imports,” and added, “We have agreed to work closely together to achieve more substantial cooperation outcomes in the future.”
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