On Oct. 21, South Korea’s carmaker Kia opened its second complete knock-down assembly plant in Kazakhstan’s Kostanay, aiming to strengthen its position in Central Asia, Yonhap reported.
The official ceremony of the plant opening was attended by Kia President Song Ho-sung, Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, senior government officials and partner company representatives. Furthermore, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev joined the event via teleconference.
The move marks an important step in developing the country’s automotive industry, stated the president, highlighting that the new plant will focus on boosting the share of local content in ready-to-use products.
Tokayev also awarded Song with the Order of Friendship of the 2nd class, recognizing his contribution to promoting peace, friendship and cooperation between people.
Construction of the plant, which has a floor size of 630,000 square meters, began in 2023. Total investment in the project reached $310 million.
The new facility has a capacity of 70,000 vehicles per year, making the total annual output 80,000 units when combined with the first Kia plant in Kostanay. Cars assembled here are planned for export to nearby markets, including Uzbekistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
According to open market data, Kia holds up to 15% of Kazakhstan’s car market.
