İktisadi İlişkiler Açısından Güney Kore’nin Orta Asya Politikası: Tacikistan, Kırgızistan ve Türkmenistan Örnekleri
South Korea’s Central Asia Policy from Perspectives of Economic Relations: The Cases of Tajikistan, Kyrgystan and Turkmenistan

Summary/Abstract: This article analyzes South Korea’s Central Asia policy from an economic perspective, focusing on the case studies of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. Within this framework, it evaluates Seoul’s economic engagement in the region through the lenses of foreign trade, development assistance, and private sector investments. The main research question of the study is formulated as follows: “What are the underlying motives behind Seoul’s engagement with these Central Asian countries?” In light of this question, the study hypothesizes that “economic interests, particularly those driven by private sector enterprises, play a crucial role in shaping South Korea’s policy toward Central Asia.” To address this research question, the study employs the case study method, a qualitative research technique. This article examines South Korea’s economic policies under three main categories: foreign trade, development assistance, and Korean enterprises. The first section analyzes trade data between South Korea and Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan to assess the structure and level of their economic relations among them. The second section focuses on Seoul’s development aid, particularly examining the scope and sectoral distribution of the projects implemented. The third and final section investigates the investments of Korean companies, especially in the energy sector, and evaluates their functions within Seoul’s broader regional strategy.

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