In a significant move to bolster its supply of critical minerals, South Korea is deepening ties with Central Asian countries. This cooperation follows the inaugural South Korea–Central Asia summit held in Seoul, where the two sides sealed over 70 agreements and memorandums. The summit highlighted a mutual interest in developing the critical minerals sector, crucial for South Korea’s automotive, electronics, battery, and energy industries.
The summit, set to become a biennial event, also established a C5+1 forum aimed at facilitating dialogue among industry ministers. South Korea’s strategy involves leveraging its expertise in mineral exploration, processing, and advanced manufacturing to work with Central Asian nations. This collaboration is expected to span the entire supply chain, from initial mineral deposit identification to the production of high-value goods.
Central Asian countries, in turn, are eager to move beyond simply exporting raw materials. Uzbekistan has proposed forming an investment alliance focused on critical minerals and creating processing clusters that would encompass exploration, mining, and production. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has extended an invitation for cooperation in areas such as rare metals, nuclear and clean energy, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure development, aiming to strengthen its strategic partnership with South Korea.
Further afield, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have shown interest in collaborating on minerals like antimony and tungsten. South Korea is also broadening its involvement in transportation and infrastructure projects throughout Central Asia, a region increasingly interested in attracting investments that foster local industrial development.
This growing interest from South Korea comes amid a broader international pursuit of Central Asia’s mineral resources, with China, the United States, the European Union, and Japan all seeking enhanced access. The next South Korea–Central Asia summit is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan in 2028, marking the continuation of these strategic efforts to secure critical mineral supplies.