Start a Business in Korea from Kazakhstan: Guide for Kazakhstani Founders

If you are a Kazakhstani founder planning to start a company in Korea, this page gives you the official contacts in Astana, Almaty and Seoul, the trade and tax basics, and the main steps to a startup visa. A double tax treaty between Korea and Kazakhstan has been in force since 1999.

Key contacts

The Korean missions listed above handle visa applications and consular questions for people in Kazakhstan. KOTRA’s Korea Business Center mainly supports trade and investment between Korea and Kazakhstan, so it is a useful contact if your business plan involves importing, exporting or investment.

Trade and tax

Trade agreements

There is no trade agreement in force between Korea and Kazakhstan. In June 2026 the two governments agreed to pursue a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA); formal negotiations are not yet listed on Korea’s FTA portal. Sources: News report on the Korea–Kazakhstan CEPA plan (8 June 2026, in Korean); Korea FTA portal.

Double tax treaty

A Korea–Kazakhstan double tax treaty is in force: it was signed on 18 October 1997 and entered into force on 9 April 1999. The treaty helps prevent the same income, such as salaries, dividends or royalties, from being taxed twice. Source: Korean government list of tax treaties (조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026.

Your path to starting a business in Korea

• Startup visa (D-8-4) and OASIS: the usual route for founders from Kazakhstan is the startup visa (D-8-4). It requires a company set up in Korea and a minimum score in the OASIS points system (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System), which you build through OASIS courses, IP applications or startup competition awards. See our D-8-4 startup visa and OASIS guide.
• K-Startup Grand Challenge: this government accelerator program is open to founders from any country and offers funding, office space and visa support to selected teams. Read the K-Startup Grand Challenge guide.
• Office space and global startup centers: several public centers in Seoul and other cities offer free or low-cost desks to foreign founders, and some of these spaces can also serve as your business address. See free office space for foreign founders in Korea.
• Government support programs: an overview of the main programs open to foreigners, from mentoring to grants, is in our guide to Korean government startup programs for foreign founders.
• Studying in Korea first: if you are, or plan to be, an international student, you can move from a D-2 student visa to the D-8-4 startup visa. See the international student startup guide (D-2 to D-8-4).
• Check visa details with official offices: before you apply, confirm the current document list with the Korean mission in Kazakhstan listed above, as requirements can change.

Sources

• News report on the Korea–Kazakhstan CEPA plan (8 June 2026, in Korean)
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan (Astana) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan (Astana) (Korean version)
• Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Almaty – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
• Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Almaty (Korean version)
• Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul
• KOTRA Almaty Korea Business Center
• Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs (발효/서명/협상 현황)
• Korean government list of tax treaties (재정경제부 조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026

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