Kyrgyzstan has proposed joint projects with South Korea in the automotive, pharmaceutical and electronics sectors

On 17 September in Seoul, the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, held talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Han Seong-suk. The parties discussed the expansion of trade and economic cooperation, attracting investment and implementing joint projects.

Zaparov expressed Kyrgyzstan’s interest in increasing the presence of South Korean businesses in the country. In particular, he proposed that South Korean companies participate in projects in the automotive, pharmaceutical, textile and electronics sectors.

The President also proposed that the governments of the two countries jointly identify several priority investment projects and ensure their support at all stages — from concept development to the launch of production. Separately, the parties discussed industrial cooperation, the establishment of joint ventures and the localisation of production.

Another area of discussion was digitalisation and artificial intelligence. The South Korean side expressed its readiness to foster the exchange of expertise and to utilise the country’s technological potential in joint projects with Kyrgyzstan.

Han Seong-suk also noted the growth in tourist numbers travelling from South Korea to Kyrgyzstan. According to her, the direct air link, which has been in operation since 2023, is contributing to the development of tourism exchanges.

Separately, Zaparov raised the issue of pension provision for Kyrgyz nationals working in South Korea. He proposed speeding up negotiations between the governments of the two countries on a relevant agreement and preparing the document for signing.

The parties confirmed their intention to continue working on the agreements reached and to instruct the relevant state bodies to implement them.