Kazakhstan International News Agency - The city of Kostanay in Kazakhstan has ushered in a new milestone in the development of the automotive industry - the KIA Qazaqstan factory officially opened. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan attended the opening ceremony via video link on the 21st, marking this project as an important step in the rapid development of the country's machinery manufacturing sector.

Strategic Cooperation with South Korea and the Rise of the Automotive Industry

President Tokayev pointed out in his speech that the launch of the KIA factory is a key milestone in the development of Kazakhstan's machinery manufacturing, reflecting the new height of cooperation with South Korea. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said:

"This event is a vivid example of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and South Korea. South Korea is a reliable partner in our Asian region, and the cooperation between the two countries is continuously deepening. Currently, more than 800 South Korean companies have successfully operated in Kazakhstan, and the automobile manufacturing industry has become a core area of cooperation between the two countries, and the opening of the KIA factory is the best proof."

The president expressed gratitude to CEO Song Ho-sung of KIA and his team for their contributions to strengthening bilateral relations.

Prioritizing the Machinery Manufacturing Industry

Last year, Kazakhstan's machinery manufacturing industry attracted investments exceeding 290 billion tenge, which was 2.5 times higher than the previous year. So far this year, the investment has reached 178 billion tenge, and the industry directly employs over 10,000 people, with nearly half being young people.

The KIA factory project has a total investment of 131.5 billion tenge, of which 90% is foreign direct investment. Governor of Kostanay Region Kumaq Arystanov stated in his speech that this project is the most important investment event in the region and even the country, and it has profound economic, social, and image significance.

He emphasized: "With the personal support of the President and the direct participation of the government, this large-scale project was realized in a short period of time. The state provided comprehensive support for the project, including allocating 70 hectares of land in the industrial park, building a 4.2 km road, parking lot, a 5.25 km railway siding, and 44.5 km of engineering pipelines."

Arystanov pointed out that the operation of the factory will promote a 46.5% growth in the regional processing manufacturing industry, becoming a key driver for regional industrialization and technological upgrading.

Factory Size and Production Capacity

The KIA Kazakhstan factory has an annual production capacity of 70,000 units, with a total construction area of about 100,000 square meters. Starting from July 2025, the factory began trial production and has now entered mass production. It plans to produce no fewer than 3,000 vehicles within the year, with an estimated production of 30,000 units in 2026, of which 20,000 will be produced using small-batch assembly methods.

The welding workshop covers an area of 14,000 square meters and is equipped with 41 welding robots, achieving an automation rate of 58%.

Dmitry Parnikov, the head of the workshop, introduced:

"Under the double-shift system, the annual production of car bodies can reach 50,000. Robots are responsible for frame welding, while the manual production line assembles sub-components, wheel arches, and side panels."

Cultivating New Professional Talents

Governor Arystanov of Kostanay Region emphasized that the factory places great importance on local employment and has established a systematic training program to cultivate professional talent. The factory will create 1,500 permanent positions. Ten vocational colleges in the region offer seven mechanical manufacturing-related majors, with 2,332 students currently enrolled, of whom 92% receive national funding, and more than 1,000 participate in dual-track training.

To promote graduate employment, an enterprise order-based talent cultivation plan has been implemented. Currently, three colleges are cooperating with KIA Qazaqstan to train 50 students, and 40 graduates have already been hired by the factory. In 2025, 14 employees were sent to South Korea for training on robot equipment operation and maintenance.

General Manager Kim Deok-gi of KIA Kazakhstan said:

"The factory will employ 1,500 staff, and we have also invited South Korean auto parts suppliers and Glovis logistics company, together creating over 2,000 additional jobs, injecting strong momentum into regional economic development."

KIA Manufacturing Center in Central Asia and New Models

KIA's CEO Song Ho-sung stated that the Kostanay factory is KIA's first factory in Central Asia and will become a regional production center.

"The factory will serve the domestic market and export to the CIS and other countries. We have formed a team of 1,500 people and carry out personnel exchanges with the South Korean factory, sending engineers to Kazakhstan to share experience and train local talents," he emphasized.

The factory's initial production model is the KIA Sorento, and in January 2026, the new Sportage will be launched, with further expansion of the model series in the future.

The opening of the KIA Kazakhstan factory is not only a major breakthrough in Kazakhstan's automotive industry, but also an important symbol of industrialization in Central Asia. Through technological innovation, job creation, and international cooperation, this project not only enhances Kazakhstan's competitiveness in the global automotive market, but also opens up new prospects for regional economic development and talent cultivation. In the future, Kostanay is expected to become a shining gem in Central Asian automobile manufacturing.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7563974778600587803/

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