Tokayev accepts South Korean president’s invitation to visit Seoul

Tengrinews.kz — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the special representative of the President of the Republic of Korea, Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff to the President, according to Akorda.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the Republic of Korea is one of Kazakhstan’s key strategic partners and highly praised the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation.
Noting Kazakhstan’s warm attitude toward the Korean people and the dynamic development of the Republic of Korea, the President reaffirmed Astana’s commitment to strengthening the expanded strategic partnership between the two countries.
The Head of State conveyed warm greetings to President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae-myung, stressing the significance of Kang Hoon-sik’s visit to Kazakhstan in his capacity as the Korean leader’s special representative.
Photo courtesy of the Akorda Press Service

“Your visit is of great importance for the further strengthening of Kazakh-Korean cooperation. I am confident that, through joint efforts, cooperation between our countries will continue to develop steadily,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

For his part, Kang Hoon-sik expressed gratitude for the warm reception and conveyed President Lee Jae-myung’s congratulations on the successful holding of the referendum on the adoption of Kazakhstan’s new Constitution.
Photo courtesy of the Akorda Press Service
The special representative stated that the Republic of Korea attaches great importance to bringing bilateral relations to a qualitatively new level by strengthening trade, economic, and investment ties and implementing joint projects in various fields.
During the conversation, the two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including prospects for expanding contacts in the energy and transport-logistics sectors, taking into account current challenges in the global market.
At the end of the meeting, Kang Hoon-sik conveyed President Lee Jae-myung’s invitation to the Head of State to visit Seoul, including to participate in the first Republic of Korea–Central Asia Summit, which will take place in September of this year.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gratefully accepted the invitation of the South Korean leader and expressed confidence that the upcoming high-level talks would contribute to a significant intensification of cooperation between the two countries, as well as to strengthening interaction in the Central Asia–Republic of Korea format.
According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, Kang Hoon-sik’s visit to Kazakhstan and Middle Eastern countries is linked to Seoul’s efforts to secure stable supplies of oil and naphtha amid tensions in the region.
It is reported that the South Korean authorities are seeking alternative sources of energy resources because of shipping problems in the Strait of Hormuz. The country remains heavily dependent on oil supplies from the Middle East, which are used, among other things, in the petrochemical industry.
As part of the trip, the South Korean delegation intends to hold talks with a number of countries in the region to ensure stable energy supplies.