Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea intend to expand cooperation in the field of education, including the teaching of the Korean language, academic exchanges, and the modernization of educational infrastructure. New cooperation agreements are scheduled for signing during the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit, which will take place in September in Seoul.
This was discussed on 28 August 2026 during a meeting between the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Turkmenistan, Lee Won-jae, and the Minister of Education of Turkmenistan, Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev, according to reports from the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Turkmenistan.
During the talks, high praise was given to the popularity of the Korean language in the country. Hundreds of young people are studying Korean at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and Secondary School No. 88 in Ashgabat.
The King Sejong Institute Center, operating under the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, was recognized as the most exemplary among the global network of King Sejong Institutes.
The Information Access Center, operating under the Innovation and Information Center of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, was named “Best Information Access Center of 2024” by the National Information Society Agency of the Republic of Korea.
Furthermore, attention was given during the negotiations to cooperation between the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and Kangwon National University.
As part of the student exchange program, six students from the Turkmen institute completed a summer internship at Kangwon National University in July of this year, while eight students from the Korean university interned at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages.
In the 2026–2027 academic year, three additional students will undertake a one-year study program at Kangwon National University.
A series of concrete proposals for further cooperation was put forward during the meeting. These include the deployment of Korean language instructors in Turkmenistan with the support of the Korea Foundation, as well as Korea’s participation in the upcoming October conference dedicated to healthcare, education, and sports.
Discussions also touched upon plans for joint student preparation for international Olympiads, co-authored scientific publications, and roundtables on digital education.
Another key focus of the meeting was the modernization of the infrastructure of Magtymguly Turkmen State University in 2026 and the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages in 2027. These projects will be implemented under the Small Grant Program (grant aid) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, aimed at providing equipment and materials to support socio-economic development initiatives.
According to data presented at the meeting, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea have already signed around 20 agreements and memorandums in the field of education.
The upcoming “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit in Seoul is expected to mark the next stage in the development of this cooperation, laying the groundwork for new bilateral agreements. ///nCa, 31 August 2026