Source: https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260410_0003586889

South Korea’s First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport(MOLIT), Kim Yi-tak, met with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev in Seoul on April 10 to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in urban development and urban air mobility (UAM), the ministry said.

The meeting was held at Kazakhstan’s request as a follow-up to earlier talks in February between Minister Kim Yoon-duk and Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, with the aim of advancing concrete areas of collaboration.

Kazakhstan is currently promoting the development of Alatau New City as a key national project. In January, a smart town district within the new city was selected for Korea’s K-City Network program, and work is now underway to establish a master plan. The K-City Network initiative supports the export of Korea’s smart city models to overseas urban development projects.

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Bakayev expressed hope for active participation by Korean companies, highlighting their extensive experience and technological expertise in urban development.

Vice Minister Kim reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to close cooperation, stating that both countries aim to achieve tangible outcomes in the urban sector. He also called for support from the Kazakh government to facilitate the involvement of Korean firms in the development of UAM infrastructure within Alatau New City.

Both sides agreed to use the meeting as a stepping stone to further systematize cooperation in smart cities and future mobility. They also pledged to develop concrete deliverables ahead of the first Korea–Central Asia Summit scheduled for September.

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