The five countries of Central Asia are no longer just seen as resource suppliers or emerging export markets. With abundant energy, critical minerals, a young population, and a demand for industrial modernization, they are emerging as new industrial partners for South Korean companies, expanding into manufacturing, infrastructure, and the digital economy.
Each country has distinct strengths. Kazakhstan is expanding its refining, petrochemical, logistics, and manufacturing sectors based on oil, natural gas, uranium, and copper. South Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and POSCO International, have broadened their activities, ranging from Lotte to construction firms.
Uzbekistan, with the largest population in Central Asia, has a manufacturing base in automotive, machinery, and textiles, along with rich deposits of gold, uranium, copper, and natural gas. South Korean companies such as Hyundai Construction, Hyundai Engineering, POSCO International, Korean Air, and Lotte have established a strong presence there.
In Turkmenistan, a major natural gas producer, South Korean firms like Hyundai Engineering, Hyundai Construction, and Daewoo Engineering have built a presence centered around gas processing, petrochemical, and fertilizer plants.
Kyrgyzstan, with its gold and hydropower resources, is seeing South Korean companies expand into consumer goods, finance, and heating equipment. In Tajikistan, South Korean engineering and ICT firms are exploring new markets in hydropower, power grids, solar energy, energy storage systems, transportation infrastructure, and digital government.
The future challenge is to move beyond exports and one-time plant contracts. There is a need to connect the joint development and processing of critical minerals, local production, technology transfer, and workforce training into a cohesive industrial ecosystem. By combining South Korea's manufacturing technology and business experience with Central Asia's resources and growth potential, the relationship can evolve from 'Korea sells, Central Asia buys' to a long-term industrial partnership where both invest, produce, and enter third-country markets together.
In Kazakhstan, South Korean companies have established a broad business base ranging from electronics manufacturing and confectionery to trade and large infrastructure projects.
Samsung Electronics Central Eurasia has expanded its business beyond simple electronics sales to local production. In December 2024, it signed a joint production agreement for TVs and began manufacturing Samsung TVs and washing machines at the Silk Road Electronics plant in Karaganda Province in 2025. Most recently, in August 2026, it signed an agreement with Kazakhmys to apply Samsung's enterprise mobile technology to geological exploration and field operations.
LG Electronics Kazakhstan has been operating in the local electronics and home appliance market for a long time. Most recently, in April 2026, it signed an agreement with Kazakhstan's intellectual property authority to strengthen joint responses against counterfeit products distributed through online platforms.
LOTTE Rakhat is one of the largest South Korean manufacturing companies in Kazakhstan, producing and selling confectionery products such as chocolate and snacks. According to the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, as of July 1, 2026, LOTTE Rakhat recorded operating revenue of 55.04 billion tenge and a net profit of 3.47 billion tenge.
SK Ecoplant participated in the construction of the Almaty Ring Road (BAKAD), Kazakhstan's first large-scale public-private partnership (PPP) project. The road, which spans 66 kilometers, has a total project cost of approximately $740 million, with construction costs reaching about $540 million. Since the road's opening in June 2023, SK Ecoplant and the Korea Expressway Corporation have also been involved in its operation for 16 years.
In Kyrgyzstan
The scale of South Korean companies' presence in Kyrgyzstan is relatively smaller than in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, but they are expanding their business base in various sectors, including direct sales, consumer goods, finance, and heating equipment.
Atomy Kyrgyzstan operates a local subsidiary in Bishkek, selling cosmetics, health supplements, food, and household goods through direct sales. As of September 2026, approximately 190 products are registered on Kyrgyzstan's online mall, establishing a localized distribution network beyond simple exports.
Aekyung Industrial's Kerasys hair care products are also sold in Kyrgyzstan. Although Aekyung does not disclose individual sales figures for Kyrgyzstan, Kerasys sales in the CIS region have grown at an average annual rate of 18.4% from 2020 to 2025, with a 37% increase in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. These figures represent the overall performance in the CIS region, not just Kyrgyzstan.
BNK Finance, supported by Korean BNK Capital, is conducting more direct local financial operations. The company began operations in Kyrgyzstan in 2022, and its loan balance surpassed 400 million som in July 2025, increasing to 404.3 million som by the end of that month. It currently offers consumer finance, auto loans, mortgage loans, and small business loans.
In Tajikistan
South Korean companies in Tajikistan are primarily focused on government-led energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure projects rather than consumer goods.
Youngin Energy is responsible for project management consulting for the second phase of a power supply project supported by the South Korean government, which runs from 2023 to 2026. The total project scale promoted by KOICA is $14 million, including the construction of new substations, expansion of existing substations, and the establishment of approximately 60 kilometers of transmission and distribution lines. Upon completion, it is expected to supply electricity to 15 villages and over 8,000 residents.
Yushin Engineering participated in a feasibility study for a new railway connecting Zhaloliddin Balkhi and Panji Poyon in southern Tajikistan, in collaboration with South Korean transportation research institutions.
Korea IT Consulting is involved in the Tajik government’s digital transformation project. The company was selected as the project management consulting firm for an ODA project worth a total of $6.5 million, which will run from 2024 to 2028. In August 2026, KOICA and the Tajik government officially launched the project, which includes a consortium involving Korea IT Consulting and FutureNuri.
In Turkmenistan
South Korean companies in Turkmenistan have primarily built their business base around large-scale energy and industrial projects led by the government.
Hyundai Engineering, Hyundai Construction, and LX International, then known as LG International, participated in a consortium for the construction of the Kiyanly Gas Chemical Complex with Japanese companies. This facility is designed to process 5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually and produce 400,000 tons of ethylene and 80,000 tons of polypropylene. According to Japan's Toyo Engineering, the consortium's contract value exceeds $800 million, with the total investment in the project around $3 billion.
Hyundai Engineering has continued its collaboration with the Turkmen government even after the complex's construction. It is currently pursuing the second phase of the Kiyanly Polymer Plant's normalization project and subsequent operation and maintenance contracts. Additionally, Hyundai Engineering has undertaken several petrochemical projects in Turkmenistan, including a $1.3 billion desulfurization facility project at the Galkynysh gas field and a $470 million project at the Turkmenbashi Oil Refinery.
Hyundai Construction has also built a significant business presence in Turkmenistan by participating in the Kiyanly Gas Chemical Complex consortium alongside Hyundai Engineering, LG International, and Toyo Engineering.
Daewoo Engineering is currently executing one of the largest new projects by a South Korean company in Turkmenistan. In May 2025, Daewoo Engineering signed a final EPC contract for the construction of the Turkmenabat Mineral Fertilizer Plant, valued at $784 million, including VAT, which is approximately 1.08 trillion won at the time of the exchange rate. The plant is designed to produce 350,000 tons of phosphate fertilizer and 100,000 tons of ammonium sulfate annually, with a construction period of 37 months after the groundbreaking.
In Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has one of the longest histories of South Korean companies' presence in Central Asia and boasts the most diverse range of business sectors. South Korean firms are active in industries ranging from power generation and gas processing to textiles, hotels, and aviation.
Hyundai Construction participated in the construction of the Talimarjan Combined Cycle Power Plant alongside POSCO Daewoo. Completed in 2017, this project was valued at $862 million and added a total generation capacity of 929 MW. At the time of completion, the new power facilities were expected to account for about 6.6% of Uzbekistan's total electricity production.
Hyundai Engineering has been involved in some of the largest gas projects in Central Asia in Uzbekistan. It participated in the basic design (FEED) of the Kandym gas field development project and subsequently secured an EPC contract worth $2.66 billion for the same project. The completed Kandym gas processing facility can process 8.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. According to Hyundai Engineering, approximately 10,000 jobs were created during construction, and about 2,000 permanent jobs were established after completion.
POSCO International has been a representative long-term player in Uzbekistan's cotton industry since 1996. It established spinning mills in Ferghana in 2006 and in Bukhara in 2008, currently producing about 50,000 tons of cotton yarn annually. In March 2022, it expanded its business scope by securing 5,210 hectares of cotton farmland in the Ferghana region for raw material cultivation.
Korean Air has also participated in the development of Uzbekistan's aviation and logistics industry beyond passenger transport. In 2008, it began developing a complex logistics center at Navoi International Airport in collaboration with Uzbekistan Airways and started cargo flights from Navoi.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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