Korea, Kazakhstan agree to expand strategic partnership

President Moon Jae-in and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hold a press conference on the outcome of their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap

Moon, Tokayev commemorate independence fighter Hong Beom-do

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Moon Jae-in and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev agreed to expand their two countries' strategic partnership, Tuesday, in order to have bilateral ties cover new industries related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, public healthcare and space exploration.

The leaders also commemorated the return of the remains of Korean independence fighter Hong Beom-do, stressing it was a symbol of the two countries' friendship.

President Tokayev is on a two-day state visit to Korea at the invitation of President Moon, and is the first foreign leader to Seoul since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tokayev, who arrived here Monday, is the first Kazakh president to travel to Korea in five years.

During their summit, Moon offered congratulations to Tokayev on the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence, adding that the two countries' bilateral ties will develop further on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their relationship next year.

"Kazakhstan is Korea's largest trading partner and investment destination in Central Asia," Moon said. "In the past three decades, the two countries have strengthened their friendly cooperation and actively engaged in non-face-to-face exchanges during the pandemic last year."

Moon stressed that Kazakhstan is one of the major partners of the Korean government's New Northern Policy, and the two countries' relations have potential for further development. The New Northern Policy is Moon's initiative to boost economic and political ties with countries to the north of South Korea.

Tokayev expressed gratitude for Moon's invitation and underscored Korea's importance in trade with his country.

"Korea is one of the most important Asian trading partners for Kazakhstan, with more than $6 billion of South Korean funds invested into the Kazakh economy," Tokayev said. "In terms of developing our bilateral relations, Kazakhstan has a special interest in Korea's advanced technologies and wants to introduce them into the Kazakh economy. Also, we have strong interests in the public healthcare system, especially for battling COVID-19."

President Moon Jae-in bumps fists with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev before their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap

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Trade between Korea and Kazakhstan reached a record high of $4.22 billion in 2019, nearly triple the $1.53 billion in 2017. The number declined to $3.09 billion in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Korea's investment into Kazakhstan increased from $7 million to $74 million in 2020, while investment from Kazakhstan stood at $50 million last year.

In a joint statement after the summit, Moon and Tokayev recognized that the two sides' economic cooperation program, called Fresh Wind, has been operating actively since it was established in April 2019, when Moon visited Kazakhstan. They agreed to expand the coverage of the program and strengthen their cooperation in energy industries such as nuclear energy, ferroalloys and gas plants.

In addition, they agreed on the necessity to enhance reciprocal cooperation in sharing experiences in Fourth Industrial Revolution sectors and the commercialization of 5G networks, with Kazakhstan showing keen interest in partnering with Korean firms in developing technologies for digital infrastructure, big data, artificial intelligence, space and cybersecurity.

Regarding the healthcare sector, Moon and Tokayev agreed to expand their cooperation to the pharmaceutical industry, with Kazakhstan inviting Korean companies to bid for public-private partnership healthcare infrastructure projects in a number of Kazakh cities.

Also during the summit, Moon updated Tokayev on his Korean Peninsula peace initiative and expressed gratitude for the Kazakh government's steadfast support. Tokayev responded that his country's experience of denuclearization could be a useful reference for Moon's efforts.

Months before Kazakhstan's independence in December 1991, its government closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, gave up more than 1,400 nuclear weapons and joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May 1992.

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a ceremony to confer posthumous honors on Korean independence fighter Hong Beom-do at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Hong's remains were returned to Korea two days earlier during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's state visit to Seoul. Yonhap

Before the summit, Moon conferred the Order of Merit for National Foundation on Korean independence fighter Hong, whose remains returned from Kazakhstan two days earlier amid Tokayev's visit. It is the highest honor awarded by the South Korean government.

Hong was commander of Korea's independence army during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. He is revered for his victory against Japanese forces in the 1920 Battle of Fengwudong in Manchuria, China. He was deported to Kazakhstan in 1937 along with nearly 172,000 Soviet Koreans on the orders of Joseph Stalin and died there in 1943, two years before Korea's independence.

Moon expressed his gratitude on the return of Hong's remains, saying it was a reminder of the two countries' friendship. Tokayev reciprocated with two important documents related to Hong.

"The friendship between the two countries is not confined to diplomatic relations. In between the two countries, there is Commander Hong and ethnic Koreans and the common experience of overcoming historical hardship," Moon said. "On behalf of Koreans, I would like to express deep gratitude to President Tokayev and the Kazakh government for their support in returning Hong's remains."

Tokayev also said there are more than 100,000 deported Koreans in Kazakhstan and they are making sizable contributions to bilateral relations.

"Today's joint statement on our strategic partnership is a symbol of these relations," Tokayev said. "And I believe the two countries will expand their cooperation in the fields of trade, politics, industry and technology."