ABSTRACT
Central Asia has vital plentiful natural resources and energy, based on the high economic growth rate, the market size is expanding rapidly and emerging very high as a potential for economic cooperation. Value of Central Asia has been inc...
ABSTRACT
Central Asia has vital plentiful natural resources and energy, based on the high economic growth rate, the market size is expanding rapidly and emerging very high as a potential for economic cooperation. Value of Central Asia has been increased in this way. All countries of the world are stretching forward into the Central Asia. The economic level of the Central Asian countries depends on the degree of economic liberalization, domestic political situation, natural resources, and the transition to a market economy, although it differs from country to country. Especially, four major countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan have abundant amount of oil and also maintain plentiful natural resources as reserves.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, among others, have rich oil, gas, mineral resources, that serve as a huge potential for very high economic growth, that makes them very attractive for international investments flowing from the outside.
Uzbekistan has very much raw resources and abundant workforce. Kazakhstan has a growing economy and it's political situation is stabilizing, that open the window of opportunity for safe investment in these countries. In addition, rapid economic growth, aggressive investment strategies of foreign companies in the resource and energy sector, the movement of an active regional economic cooperation, for the realization of medium-and long-term economic development strategies to attract foreign investment, these countries have a high investment attractiveness. In addition, although the market size of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan countries pertains to the small one, but in the future, the growth potential of these countries is expected to be very high.
South Korea's private enterprises pushed into the Central Asia, focused on Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan very actively from the early days. We can see three steps of advance in the Central Asia of South Korea. The first step is, from 1991 until the early 2000's, South Korea's enterprises improved good image in the Central Asia by selling a automobile, electronics and building infrastructure, such as pressing plants. In the second step, a lot of investment has been made in the energy sector and the construction sector from 2001 until 2008. However, due to the global financial crisis, companies ran into difficulties. In comparison of the investment history, South Korea was relatively weaker on its expansion, than aggressive advancing of Russia, Europe, China, and Japan in the Central Asia.
As a result, If Korean government and companies advance with a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages of these countries, the further advance of Korean companies in the this area can be very promising.
Key Words: Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Entered Korean and Foreign Companies.