Kazakhstan, South Korea agree on pharmaceutical localization and joint production

Kazakhstan and South Korea have reached an agreement to work together on localizing pharmaceutical production, transferring technologies and launching joint manufacturing projects in Kazakhstan. On September 14 in Seoul, Kazakh Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova met with Kyungdong Pharmaceutical CEO Kim Kyung-hoon and toured the South Korean company’s production facilities.

During the meeting, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Healthcare and Kyungdong Pharmaceutical signed a document setting out areas for further cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector. The talks focused on localizing pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kazakhstan, technology transfer, clinical trials and the registration of Kyungdong Pharmaceutical products in the country. The two sides also discussed the possibility of creating joint production projects.

Kazakhstan has designated the pharmaceutical industry as one of the sectors for boosting domestic output, attracting investment and creating jobs under directives from the country’s president. Alnazarova explained the mechanisms available to foreign investors interested in pharmaceutical production in Kazakhstan. These include measures that ensure long-term guaranteed demand for domestically produced goods and state support for major investment projects.

The minister also highlighted opportunities for companies manufacturing medicines in Kazakhstan to enter markets in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Organization of Turkic States. The meeting additionally covered Kazakhstan’s regulatory framework for medicines and efforts to bring the pharmaceutical sector into line with international standards.

In February 2026, Kazakhstan attained Maturity Level 3 in the World Health Organization’s assessment of national regulatory systems for medical products. Kazakhstan became the first country in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the fourth in the WHO European Region to reach Maturity Level 3.

The agreement with Kyungdong Pharmaceutical establishes a basis for further talks on specific projects, including possible manufacturing facilities, technology transfer, clinical research and the registration of pharmaceutical products in Kazakhstan.