ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 11. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, the state fund Alatau City Authority, and Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation (KIND) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop the Alatau Smart City project, Trend reports via the Kazakh government.
The document was finalized following a meeting in Astana between Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev and KIND President and CEO Bokhwan Kim.
Bozumbayev noted strong interest from Korean companies in the project and highlighted that KIND could contribute to infrastructure development, including energy, water supply, water treatment, wastewater processing, and solid waste management, through EPC contracts or development formats.
Moreover, the sides also discussed prospects for cooperation on potential projects in logistics and port infrastructure. Considering the broad partnership opportunities, the deputy prime minister proposed that KIND consider opening a corporate office in Kazakhstan.
The talks continued the dialogue launched in October during the Alatau Rise with the Kazakhstan roadshow in Seoul, where Kazakhstan presented Alatau Smart City as one of its key strategic initiatives.
KIND is an organization established in June 2018 by the government of the Republic of Korea in accordance with the Overseas Construction Promotion Act enforced on the 25th of April 2018, to proactively support global Public-Private Partnership (PPP) business.
The Alatau Smart City project in Kazakhstan aims to establish a fully digital and sustainable international business hub between Almaty and Konayev, spanning approximately 100,000 hectares. It features four thematic districts—Gate, Golden, Growing, and Green—with a focus on smart infrastructure supported by 5G, AI, Urban Air Mobility (eVTOL), and renewable energy. Key components include a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) offering tax incentives to attract businesses, advanced mobility solutions like eVTOL air taxis and drones, and a government strategy that envisions comprehensive digitization.
The project is intended to serve as a national testbed for smart city technologies and foster global technological partnerships.
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