UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | South Korea's First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Koo Hyuk-chae, met with Kazakh Ambassador to Korea Asset Issenali on 4 August at the Government Complex Sejong to discuss science and technology cooperation between the two countries, with a focus on combining their respective strengths in resources and technical talent.

Both sides welcomed the upcoming first Korea-Central Asia Summit, scheduled to take place in Seoul in September, and emphasized the potential for expanded science and technology cooperation ahead of the meeting. Officials noted that Kazakhstan holds substantial reserves of critical minerals and energy resources, including oil, uranium and rare earth elements, and that 42.8 percent of its population of approximately 20.6 million is under the age of 25, creating opportunities for cooperation in both resource-related technology and the development of future talent.

The two sides also discussed an ongoing joint project to establish a Kazakhstan Institute of Science and Technology, modeled on Korea's KAIST. The proposed institute is expected to serve as a key hub for cooperation, combining Kazakhstan's resources and young talent pool with Korea's advanced manufacturing capabilities and experience in technical workforce development, in support of a new generation of scientists and engineers to lead future collaboration between the two countries.

Vice Minister Koo said the advanced science and technology capabilities and talent development experience that have driven South Korea's economic growth could generate significant synergy when combined with Kazakhstan's resources and human capital. He expressed hope that the upcoming Korea-Central Asia Summit would serve as an opportunity to elevate bilateral science and technology cooperation to a new level, and called for continued interest and support from the Kazakh government in that effort.