By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to South Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, met with Mayor of Busan, Park Heong-joon in Busan on Feb. 16, 2024.

During the meeting, the Ambassador emphasized Kazakhstan's special relationship with Busan, noting the presence of the Consulate General of Kazakhstan and the signing of the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Almaty and Busan. In this regard, the Kazakh diplomat invited the Mayor of Busan to visit Almaty this year.

In turn, the Mayor of Busan accepted the invitation with gratitude expressed an interest in expanding bilateral cooperation. The Korean mayor presented a city development plan and announced the upcoming construction of a new international airport in Busan.

As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was reached on cooperation in such areas as transport, logistics, tourism, as well as education in the field of IT and digital transformation, which corresponds to the country’s development priorities outlined by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

During the visit, several meetings were held with the management of companies based in Busan. The visit program also includes attending the opening ceremony of the World Team Table Tennis Championship, in which the Kazakhstan national team of 10 athletes is participating.