Source: Caspian Nexus Program Held at HUFS  

The “Caspian Nexus: Connectivity, Energy, and Influence” conference took place on June 16, 2026, at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. Organized as a platform to discuss the growing strategic importance of the Caspian region, the event brought together scholars and experts specializing in international law, energy security, critical minerals, connectivity, digitalization, water security, and regional diplomacy.

The conference opened with remarks by Prof. Dr. Chanwahn Kim, Dean of the Graduate School of International and Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. In his opening address, he highlighted the rising relevance of the Caspian region in global affairs and stressed the importance of academic cooperation in understanding the region’s evolving geopolitical and economic dynamics.

Following the opening remarks, SIGA Director Prof. Dr. Bongchul Kim gave a presentation titled “Strengthening the Need for an International Legal Framework to Enhance Cooperation between Korea and the Caspian Sea States.” His presentation addressed the need to develop a more comprehensive international legal framework to support cooperation between Korea and the Caspian Sea states.

After Prof. Dr. Kim’s presentation, SIGA Deputy Director Dr. Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu delivered a presentation titled “South Korea’s Critical Minerals and Energy Cooperation in Central Asia.” He discussed South Korea’s increasing need to diversify its critical minerals supply chains and strengthen energy partnerships with Central Asian countries.

The program continued with a presentation by Dr. Vasif Huseynov from the AIR Center in Azerbaijan, titled “Azerbaijan’s Emerging Role in the Middle Corridor.” Dr. Huseynov explained Azerbaijan’s growing importance as a strategic transit hub linking Asia and Europe.

The conference also included presentations on water security, digitalization, smart city cooperation, China’s foreign strategy toward the Caspian Sea, Germany’s diplomatic approach to the region, environmental challenges in the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan’s response to Russian transit leverage, and Kazakhstan’s economic strategy amid the changing geopolitical environment.

Throughout the seminar, participants discussed the Caspian region’s growing importance at the intersection of connectivity, energy security, legal cooperation, digital transformation, and great power competition. The discussions showed that the region is not only a transit space, but also an emerging strategic platform for cooperation between Korea, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe.

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