Korea and Turkmenistan Sign 13 Agreements to Expand Energy and Infrastructure Ties
President Lee Jae Myung and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation through 13 agreements covering investment protection, energy, industrial plants, rail transport and water management.
South Korea and Turkmenistan have agreed to broaden their partnership in energy, industrial plants, transportation and logistics, signing 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding during a summit in Seoul on Tuesday.
President Lee Jae Myung and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow used the meeting to strengthen the institutional foundation for bilateral investment and create more opportunities for Korean companies in the Central Asian country. The agreements cover investment promotion and protection, infrastructure, chemicals and plant construction, rail transport and water-resource management.
The two governments plan to support greater Korean corporate participation in Turkmen oil, gas and chemical projects, while also expanding cooperation in construction, transport and logistics. Water projects are another part of the package, including efforts related to modernizing the Karakum Canal.
Lee framed the partnership as a combination of complementary strengths. Turkmenistan has substantial energy resources and a strategic location linking the Caspian Sea and Central Asia, while South Korea can contribute industrial and technological capabilities. He said the two sides should turn their longstanding relationship into economic outcomes that people can experience directly, including higher-value industries, employment and improved trade connections.
The summit also highlighted humanitarian cooperation. Lee thanked Turkmenistan for helping Korean citizens and their families leave Iran during periods of heightened conflict in the Middle East. About 30 Koreans crossed into Turkmenistan overland during the early phase of the Iran war in March, with Turkmen authorities facilitating their departure, including through a dedicated immigration checkpoint.
Beyond economic ties, Berdimuhamedow expressed support for Seoul’s END Initiative, the Lee administration’s policy framework toward North Korea. He reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s position that issues on the Korean Peninsula should be resolved through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy.
The agreements add a bilateral component to Seoul’s wider effort to deepen relations with Central Asia. South Korea is seeking stronger links across the region in energy security, critical infrastructure and trade, while Central Asian governments are looking for investment, technology and routes to develop their resource sectors.
Implementation will now be the central test. The breadth of the package creates openings across several industries, but tangible results will depend on detailed project terms, financing and follow-through by government agencies and companies in both countries. The investment-protection agreement could be especially important in giving businesses a clearer framework as the two governments pursue larger and longer-term projects.