The Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Archives of Korea have signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation. The signing took place as part of the official visit of the Head of State to the Republic of Korea and marked the continuation of a partnership that celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The new document opens up opportunities for archivists and researchers from both countries to develop joint projects focused on the search for and study of archival documents.

The Memorandum was signed by Aliya Mustafina, Director of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Lee Yong Chul, President of the National Archives of Korea. The new Memorandum is aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in the archival field and covers several promising areas, including professional exchanges and capacity building for specialists, joint research, participation in international educational projects, and professional events.

During the bilateral meeting, the parties also discussed prospects for cooperation in the digital transformation of archival work and the application of artificial intelligence technologies. Today, the Republic of Korea is one of the world leaders in digital technologies and e-government. Cooperation with Korean colleagues will therefore provide new opportunities for Kazakhstani archivists to explore and implement innovative technological solutions in the archival sector.

“Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea are connected by friendly and dynamically developing relations. I am confident that cooperation between our archives can become another important area for strengthening professional and humanitarian ties between our countries. We highly appreciate the Korean side’s commitment to cooperation and are interested in ensuring that the provisions of today’s Memorandum receive practical follow-up. We hope that in the near future we will be able to identify specific joint projects and begin implementing new initiatives,” said Aliya Mustafina, Director of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during the meeting.

Cooperation between the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Archives of Korea has a history of almost ten years. It began on 28 October 2016 during a visit by the leadership of the Archive of the President to Seoul, where the parties signed their first memorandum of cooperation. Over the years, the partnership has developed a strong practical dimension. From 2017 to 2019, specialists from the Archive of the President participated in training programmes in the Republic of Korea under the international Records and Archives Management Program (RAMP), gaining experience in electronic records management, digital preservation, digitization, and the restoration of archival materials.

Korean archivists, in turn, have regularly participated in projects organized by the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Representatives of the National Archives of Korea served as experts and lecturers at the International Summer School for Young Archivists organized by the Archive of the President, sharing their experience in electronic records management and the digitization of archival materials. In 2022, they also participated in the 1st Congress of Archivists of Kazakhstan, where they presented the Korean experience in records management standardization.

It should also be noted that Kazakhstan and Korea are connected not only by contemporary diplomatic and economic relations, but also by a shared historical memory. The Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan holds documents relating to the history of Koreans in Kazakhstan, reflecting important chapters of the 20th century. These materials are of significant interest to researchers in both countries and provide an opportunity to further explore the history of the Korean diaspora, including the processes of resettlement and adaptation, as well as its contribution to the development of Kazakhstan. For this reason, the development of archival cooperation between the two countries is important not only from a professional perspective, but also carries significant historical and humanitarian value.