Filed Under: Central Asia, Regional Diplomacy, Working Papers

WPS 09-07: Economic Cooperation between South Korea and Kazakhstan, by Lee Jae-young (October 2009). As 97 percent of South Korean energy comes from imports, Central Asia is a very important area for developing and securing foreign energy resources. Among the countries in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has shown the highest tangible economic development results. Moreover, Kazakhstan, compared to other Central Asian countries, has the richest natural resources, a superior economy size, and a relatively stable political situation that could increase the speed of political modernization. Kazakhstan is also leading the region in terms of market reforms. In this paper, Dr. Lee examines the status of economic cooperation between South Korea and Kazakhstan and suggests basic policies to improve relations between the two countries.