Investment Potential of Alatau City Presented to South Korean Business Community
The event brought together approximately 50 Korean companies representing the energy, industrial, infrastructure, financial, and technology sectors.
The third session, titled “The Alatau City Megaproject: Opportunities for Korean Business,” was entirely dedicated to the investment potential of the city.
The session was moderated by Park Moon, Partner and Head of Digital Transformation at KPMG Korea, one of the recurring experts participating in discussions surrounding Alatau City. In his previous public remarks, he repeatedly emphasized the importance of phased incentives for technology companies and the integration of innovative solutions ranging from autonomous mobility to AI-driven platforms.
During the session, Almat Doskaliyev, Director of the Investment and International Cooperation Department at the Alatau City Authority, presented the Alatau City project to the Korean audience. Particular emphasis was placed on the city’s strategic location along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. More than 2 billion people live within a five-hour flight radius of Alatau City, while the flight time from Seoul is approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes.
Korean partners were also introduced to the opportunities offered by the city’s special legal regime. The Constitutional Law “On the Special Legal Regime of Alatau City,” adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan on March 27, 2026, introduces the principles of English common law, international arbitration mechanisms, a 10-year regulatory stability guarantee, permission for foreign ownership of real estate, as well as a special tax and customs regime. The city’s governance model is based on a “one-stop shop” principle.
On May 8, one day after the session “The Alatau City Megaproject: Opportunities for Korean Business” was held in Seoul, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the Constitutional Law, granting it full legal force.
Among the flagship developments presented by Almat Doskaliyev was the Iconic Complex: two towers rising 272 and 80 meters respectively, with an investment volume of $800 million and a projected total area of approximately 3 million square feet. The architectural concept was developed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, while the general contractor is China State Construction Engineering Corporation.
Representatives of the Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation (KIND) participated in the discussion following the Alatau City presentation. Overall, the roundtable was attended by representatives of Korea Exim Bank, YPP, Ofe, Doosan Enerbility, LX International, KNOC, Shinhan Securities, BNK Financial Group, and a number of other Korean corporations and financial institutions.
On the sidelines of the event, a series of bilateral meetings was also held with current and potential investors. The parties discussed the participation of Korean businesses in specific projects, including the development of Alatau Smart City and the implementation of green energy initiatives, among others. Following the meetings, the participants reaffirmed their interest in strengthening partnership ties and implementing new joint investment projects between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.
