Source: [동포의 창] "강제이주 90주년 내년 K파크 탄생…전세계 고려인 카자흐로"

Chairman Yuriy Tskhay: “All Koryo-saram will be invited to the September opening ceremony…We hope President Lee Jae-myung will visit”

Alatau City Development Authority head: “$100 million in reserve funds committed…No infrastructure concerns”

K-Park, a major economic and cultural hub intended to unite Koryo-saram communities worldwide, is scheduled to open next year in Alatau City, Kazakhstan.

Yuriy Tskhay, Chairman of Caspian Group and the Association of Koreans of Kazakhstan, and Alisher Abdykadyrov, head of the Alatau City Authority (ACA), presented the project during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul on 15 September. They were visiting Korea for the First Korea–Central Asia Summit.

K-Park will be built on approximately 10 hectares in Alatau City and will include a cultural events venue, a historical reconstruction area, a Koryo-saram zone, a Korean garden and a Tree of Life.

The park and cultural zone will cover 7.16 hectares and cost $40 million, approximately 54.7 billion won. The project will be financed entirely by Koryo-saram businesspeople in Kazakhstan without financial support from either government.

“We will complete the main facilities and park between May and June 2027, the 90th anniversary of the forced relocation of Koryo-saram,” Tskhay said. “We will hold an official event celebrating the creation of K-Park in September and proceed with the grand opening.”

Koryo-saram leaders and community members from Central Asia and other regions will be invited to Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also expressed his intention to invite the South Korean president, raising the possibility of a visit by President Lee Jae-myung and a bilateral summit.

“K-Park is an expression of gratitude to the people of Kazakhstan, who warmly welcomed us during the forced relocation, and a place to honour the spirits of our ancestors who endured severe hardship,” Tskhay said. “It will become a cradle where descendants of Koryo-saram can strengthen their networks and inherit pride in the Korean nation.”

Alatau City Targets a Population of 2.04 Million

Alatau City is being developed on 88,000 hectares, approximately 1.4 times the size of Seoul. Kazakhstan aims to attract 2.04 million residents by 2050, a population comparable to Almaty, the country’s largest economic city and former capital, with about 2.2 million residents. It is also close to the population of Daegu, approximately 2.37 million.

The project gained further momentum after the recent Korea–Kazakhstan summit, where it was formally discussed as a central agenda item.

Addressing concerns over electricity, water, roads, bureaucracy and possible delays, Abdykadyrov said the Kazakh government had allocated $100 million, approximately 136.8 billion won, from the presidential reserve fund and begun work on power and water infrastructure.

The city is also building underground engineering tunnels for electricity, gas, water and telecommunications networks.

“Alatau City is governed by Kazakhstan’s first Alatau Special Law, which introduced common-law standards following consultation with a major London law firm,” Abdykadyrov said. “Investors are guaranteed all benefits through a one-stop system with a single integrated operator licence.”

Administrative procedures will be fully digital to prevent bureaucratic intervention.

Korean Companies Expand Cooperation

Alatau City will comprise four zones: the Gate District for business and finance; the Golden District for education, healthcare and culture; the Growing District for industry and logistics; and the Green District for tourism and leisure.

Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation (KIND) is discussing a master plan for a 348-hectare smart town.

Korea Electric Power Corporation and Doosan Enerbility are pursuing cooperation in energy and urban infrastructure. Lotte Hotels & Resorts is discussing accommodation and commercial facilities, while Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) and others are cooperating on urban air mobility (UAM) and new airport infrastructure.

A 60-storey mixed-use Iconic Building is planned on Caspian Group’s 3,000-hectare site, with U.S. architectural firm SOM and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) discussing participation.

Kazakhstan is also seeking to attract the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Under the proposed model, the government would provide land free of charge, while a prominent local Koryo-saram businessperson would provide financial support. The goal is to train science, technology and AI specialists locally.

“The essence of this project is to combine Korea’s outstanding smart-city expertise with Kazakhstan’s vast platform,” Tskhay said. “Unlike in the past, specific legal and tax benefits have now been formally established, making this the right time to enter Alatau City.”

“The local business experience and networks that Koryo-saram have built over decades can provide reliable partnerships for Korean companies,” he added. “I hope Korean companies will use the energy of overseas Koreans from around the world who will gather at K-Park as a driving force to boldly explore Eurasia’s future.”

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