Korea, Turkmenistan sign 13 deals across investment, energy, security

Korea and Turkmenistan signed 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding on Tuesday, deepening cooperation in investment, energy and security. The deals came during a bilateral summit between President Lee Jae Myung and President Serdar Berdimuhamedow ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit on Wednesday. Lee said Korea will help turn Turkmenistan's resources into value-added industries and jobs. Berdimuhamedow reaffirmed support for Lee's North Korea policy and peaceful dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.

The two countries signed an investment promotion and protection agreement that grants most-favored-nation treatment and sets procedures for investor-state dispute settlement.

An infrastructure MOU is expected to help Korean firms enter major energy, construction and logistics projects, while a water resource management MOU will expand Korean water management technology to Turkmenistan.

The agreements also covered the chemical industry and plants, railway transportation, combating transnational organized crime, public security, customs cooperation and mutual assistance, digital forest restoration and climate response, comprehensive intellectual property, legal cooperation and youth cooperation.

Published Sep 15, 2026 3:12 pm KST

Updated Sep 15, 2026 3:31 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap

Korea and Turkmenistan signed 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on Tuesday, deepening bilateral cooperation across investment, energy and security.

The signings came during a bilateral summit between President Lee Jae Myung and President Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, held ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit set for Wednesday.

The two countries signed an investment promotion and protection agreement, granting most-favored-nation treatment and establishing procedures for investor-state dispute settlement.

The infrastructure MOU is expected to help Korean firms enter major energy, construction and logistics projects, while the water resource management MOU will expand Korean water management technology to Turkmenistan.

MOUs were also signed on cooperation in the chemical industry and plants, railway transportation, combating transnational organized crime, and public security. An agreement on customs cooperation and mutual assistance targets crimes such as smuggling, while an MOU on border-level intellectual property protection targets counterfeit goods bearing the two countries' key brands.

MOUs on digital forest restoration and climate response, comprehensive intellectual property, legal, and youth cooperation were also signed.

"Korea will work together so that Turkmenistan's abundant resources lead to high value-added industries and jobs, and so that the land connecting the Caspian Sea and Central Asia becomes a new crossroads for logistics and trade," Lee said.

Lee also thanked Turkmenistan for helping Korean nationals evacuate from Iran amid regional turmoil. In March, about 30 Koreans fled Iran to Turkmenistan by land, with the country designating a dedicated checkpoint for their entry.

Berdimuhamedow said he valued Korea's consistent support for Turkmenistan's initiatives on the international stage, reaffirming his support for Lee's North Korea policy known as the END Initiative, which stands for exchange, normalization and denuclearization.

"We have consistently maintained the position that all issues on the Korean Peninsula must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and diplomatic means, and we will continue to do so," he added.

周二，韩国和土库曼斯坦签署了13项协议和谅解备忘录，深化了在投资、能源和安全领域的合作。这些协议是在韩国总统李在明和土库曼斯坦总统塞尔达尔·别尔德穆哈梅多夫举行的双边峰会期间签署的，此次峰会是周三举行的首届韩国—中亚峰会的前夕。李在明表示，韩国将帮助土库曼斯坦把资源转化为高附加值产业和就业机会。别尔德穆哈梅多夫重申了对李在明对朝政策以及朝鲜半岛和平对话的支持。

两国签署了投资促进和保护协定，给予最惠国待遇，并制定了投资者与国家间争端解决程序。

一项基础设施谅解备忘录有望帮助韩国企业进入大型能源、建筑和物流项目，而一项水资源管理谅解备忘录将把韩国水资源管理技术推广到土库曼斯坦。

这些协议还涵盖了化学工业和工厂、铁路运输、打击跨国有组织犯罪、公共安全、海关合作与互助、数字森林恢复和气候应对、综合知识产权、法律合作和青年合作等领域。

发布于2026年9月15日下午3:12（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月15日下午3:31（韩国标准时间）

周二，韩国总统李在明在青瓦台与土库曼斯坦总统塞尔达尔·别尔德穆哈梅多夫握手。（韩联社）

周二，韩国和土库曼斯坦签署了 13 项协议和谅解备忘录，深化了两国在投资、能源和安全领域的双边合作。

这些签字仪式是在韩国总统李在明与土库曼斯坦总统塞尔达尔·别尔德穆哈梅多夫举行的双边峰会期间举行的，此次峰会是在定于周三举行的首届韩国-中亚峰会之前举行的。

两国签署了投资促进和保护协定，给予最惠国待遇，并建立了投资者与国家间争端解决程序。

基础设施谅解备忘录有望帮助韩国企业进入大型能源、建筑和物流项目，而水资源管理谅解备忘录将把韩国水资源管理技术推广到土库曼斯坦。

双方还签署了关于化工企业、铁路运输、打击跨国犯罪和公共安全等领域合作的谅解备忘录。其中一项海关合作与互助协议旨在打击走私等犯罪活动，而一项关于边境知识产权保护的谅解备忘录则旨在打击带有两国主要品牌标识的假冒商品。

双方还签署了关于数字森林恢复和气候应对、综合知识产权、法律和青年合作的谅解备忘录。

李说：“韩国将共同努力，使土库曼斯坦丰富的资源转化为高附加值产业和就业机会，使连接里海和中亚的这片土地成为物流和贸易的新十字路口。”

李还感谢土库曼斯坦在地区动荡期间帮助韩国公民从伊朗撤离。今年3月，约30名韩国人经陆路逃离伊朗前往土库曼斯坦，该国为他们设立了专门的入境检查站。

别尔德穆哈梅多夫表示，他珍视韩国一贯支持土库曼斯坦在国际舞台上的各项举措，并重申支持李明博的朝鲜政策，即“END倡议”，该倡议代表交流、正常化和无核化。

他补充说：“我们一贯坚持认为，朝鲜半岛所有问题都必须通过和平对话和外交手段解决，我们将继续这样做。”