By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

“Kazakhstan is a wonderful place to visit. We have a golden triangle that any Korean should go and visit,” said Ambassador Nurgali Arystanov of Kazakhstan in Korea on June 19.

Delivering welcoming remarks at the Kazakhstan Tourism Roadshow held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Amb. Nurgali Arystanov said, "Korea and Kazakhstan have a visa-free agreement and are close siblings with a six-hour direct flight," introducing Kazakhstan's accessibility and attractiveness as a travel destination.

The ambassador highlighted three cities, known as the "Golden Triangle," as a must-see destination. The first is Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan with its geometric architecture; the second is Almaty, a city with year-round ice caps and a capital of gastronomy, art, and tradition; and the third is Turkistan, home to the legacy of the Silk Road.

Currently, there are 43 countries that allow visa-free entry to Kazakhstan, including South Korea. South Koreans can stay in Kazakhstan for 30 days without a visa. 

"Just a few days ago, President Yoon Suk-yeol made a tour of Central Asia and promised close cooperation with Kazakhstan," said Ambassador Nurgali Arystanov, adding, "We are eager to cooperate with Korea in various fields, including tourism."

Earlier, President Yoon had announced the 'K-Silk Road Cooperation Initiative' during his five-day, seven-night tour of three Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan. The K-Silk Road is a blueprint for expanding the Yoon administration's vision of a global pivotal country to the Central Asian region, including Kazakhstan, and taking cooperation with the region to the next level.

"Last year, the number of Korean tourists visiting Kazakhstan exceeded 35,000, a 125.4 percent increase from 2022, and the number of medical tourists from Kazakhstan to Korea was around 12,000, which is a clear indication of the strong bilateral exchange between the two countries," said the ambassador.

Increased direct flights have also made access to Kazakhstan easier. On June 16, Kazakhstan's national airline, Air Astana, resumed direct flights between Incheon and Astana, which had been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, twice a week, and the Incheon-Almaty route is now operated seven times a week.
 
This is the first time the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan has held a regional briefing in Korea. 

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world and the largest landlocked country with a diverse natural environment. It is bordered by five countries: Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, with land borders with Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, and close connections to Azerbaijan and Iran through ports on the Caspian Sea, the largest lake in the world.

Kazakhstan is also home to nearly 130 different ethnic groups and a population of 18 million people. Its geopolitical position makes it a transportation hub between Asia and Europe, and the openness and tolerance of the Kazakh people to outside cultures, combined with their unique ethnicity, makes it a new Silk Road between East and West.