Korea–Central Asia Summit Momentum: South Korea’s PM Han Seong-sook urged deeper cooperation with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on critical minerals and AI during business roundtables tied to the first Korea–Central Asia leaders summit in Seoul. Investment Protection for Korean Firms: South Korea and Turkmenistan signed an investment promotion and protection agreement guaranteeing national treatment, most-favored-nation terms, compensation rules for expropriation, and investor-state dispute procedures—aimed at boosting Korean participation in city development, shipbuilding, and gas/chemical/fertilizer projects. Bilateral Deals Expand Beyond Energy: President Lee Jae-myung and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov agreed to broaden cooperation via 13 agreements, reaching into railways and infrastructure, water management, forestry, and AI/science and technology. Tech Joint Venture: A Turkmen–Korean venture, “Ýerli Tor,” was set up with Amatly Çözgüt and S&T System to localize production of servers, data storage, and networking equipment in Turkmenistan. Water Infrastructure Tie-Up: Daewoo E&C signed an MoU with Turkmenistan’s water authorities on Karakum Canal modernization for a ~250 km lower-canal segment. Regional Business Platform: Oxford Business Group will join the Turkmenistan Investment Forum 2026 as a knowledge partner, signaling wider international investment engagement.