Seoul, Republic of Korea
Greeting Cho Jeong-sik, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated him on his recent election as Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
The Head of State briefed the Korean Parliament Speaker on the outcomes of his talks with President Lee Jae-myung.
“We had a meaningful and productive meeting. We reached an important agreement to elevate bilateral cooperation to the level of a Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” the President said.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shared with Korean parliamentarians the essence of the far-reaching political reforms in Kazakhstan, aimed at establishing a new framework for public administration.
“On July 1, the new Constitution, widely supported by the people, came into force. This historic event gave strong impetus to large-scale reforms in Kazakhstan. The former bicameral Parliament has transformed into a unicameral Kurultai. A Vice-President position was established, and the Security Council Apparatus has been formed. Moreover, a unique consultative and advisory body – the Halyq Kenesi – will soon begin its work. Our goal is to build a Just, Strong, Clean, and Progressive Kazakhstan,” the Head of State declared.
The President then highlighted the vital role of legislative bodies in advancing Kazakh-Korean cooperation.
“Overall, interparliamentary dialogue has deepened significantly in recent years. Contacts between the Parliament of Kazakhstan and the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea are maintained regularly. These ties will be actively sustained by the members of the newly elected Kurultai,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted.
The Head of State focused on specific aspects of bilateral relations.
“Our trade, economic, and investment cooperation continues to grow stronger. There are over a thousand joint ventures with Korean capital operating in Kazakhstan, with joint projects being implemented across many key sectors. Our cultural and humanitarian ties run deep. As you know, Kazakhstan is home to around 120 thousand members of the Koryo-saram, the ethnic Korean community. Without any exaggeration, they serve as a ‘golden bridge’ of friendship between our countries. Next year, we will mark the 90th anniversary of the resettlement of the Koreans in Kazakhstan, and we intend to commemorate this historic date with high-level celebrations,” the Head of State said.
For his part, Speaker Cho Jeong-sik warmly welcomed the President of Kazakhstan and expressed his gratitude for the visit to the National Assembly.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the successful constitutional reform and parliamentary elections. This demonstrates the high level of trust in your leadership. In recent years, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea have consistently expanded their cooperation in various fields. Therefore, I am delighted that during your state visit to Korea, relations between our countries have been elevated to a Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Cho Jeong-sik noted.
The Speaker of Parliament emphasized that Kazakhstan is Korea’s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. According to him, bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy, digitalization, and artificial intelligence is of paramount importance.
Cho Jeong-sik also expressed satisfaction with the expansion of cultural and humanitarian ties, as well as active tourism exchanges.
“I hope that Kazakhstan and Korea will continue to advance toward mutually beneficial cooperation and shared prosperity. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, for its part, will actively support this process. Next spring, Kazakhstan will host the 4th Meeting of Parliamentary Speakers of Central Asian Countries and the Republic of Korea. I plan to take part in this forum and look forward to meeting you again in Kazakhstan,” the Speaker said.
Concluding the meeting, both parties expressed confidence that Kazakhstan and Korea would steadily strengthen cooperation across the full spectrum of bilateral relations.
