Turkmenistan – Korea: Mutually Beneficial Relations in the Field of Education

On August 28, 2026, the Minister of Education of Turkmenistan, J.Gurbangeldyev, met with the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Turkmenistan, Lee Won-jae.

During the negotiations, the current state and prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the field of education were discussed. It was noted that to date, approximately 20 agreements and memoranda have been concluded in this area, and the signing of new documents is planned within the framework of the First "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit, which will be held in Seoul in September of this year.

During the talks, the level of Korean language teaching in our country was highly praised. In particular, it was stated that hundreds of young people are studying the Korean language at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, as well as at secondary school No. 88 in the city of Ashgabat.

It was particularly emphasized that the King Sejong Educational Center, operating at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, was recognized as the most exemplary among the global network of King Sejong Institutes. Meanwhile, the Information Access Center, operating under the Innovation and Information Center of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, was awarded the title of "Best Information Access Center of 2024" by the National Information Society Agency of the Republic of Korea.

Furthermore, during the negotiations, attention was drawn to the mutually beneficial cooperation between the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and Kangwon National University. In accordance with the current Memorandum, in July of this year, 6 students from the Turkmen institute completed a summer internship at Kangwon National University, while 8 students from the Korean university completed theirs at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages. Alongside this, it was specifically highlighted that, in accordance with the program scheduled for the 2026-2027 academic year, another 3 students from the institute were recently sent for a one-year study program at Kangwon National University.

At the meeting, a number of specific proposals for further cooperation were put forward. These include the work of Korean language teachers in our country with the support of the Korea Foundation; the participation of the Korean side in the international exhibition and scientific conference "Healthcare, Education and Sports in the Era of the Revival of the New Epoch of the Powerful State," which will be held in Ashgabat in October; joint preparation of students for international Olympiads; mutual publication of scientific articles; and the organization of round tables on issues of digital education. Discussions also covered the implementation of agreements reached on modernizing the material and technical base of the Magtymguly Turkmen State University in 2026 and the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages in 2027. These projects will be carried out within the framework of the small grant (grant assistance) program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, which is intended for the provision of machinery and equipment to support socio-economic development initiatives.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their unwavering readiness to expand the horizons of cooperation and jointly achieve new successes in the field of education. Confidence was expressed that, as a result of the responsible work and diplomatic efforts undertaken for the benefit of the two friendly states, relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea will continue to develop successfully.

Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan