President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev agreed Tuesday to collaborate on the supply chain for critical minerals, from exploration and development to commercialization.
The agreement came at summit talks held in the Kazakh capital of Astana to discuss ways to strengthen the strategic partnership in a wide field of areas.
During the talks, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on critical minerals supply chain partnership to pave the way for comprehensive cooperation ranging from joint exploration to the final use of critical minerals.
“The two countries agreed to strengthen the critical mineral supply chain by combining Kazakhstan’s abundant mineral resources with South Korea’s advanced technology,” Yoon said in a joint press conference.
Kazakhstan, a major oil and natural gas producer, holds a large reserve of uranium, chromium, titanium and rare earth metals, making the resource-rich country an important partner for South Korea’s chip and battery makers.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240612003752315?section=national/politics