South Korea and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the peaceful use of nuclear energy on September 15 and pledged to expand cooperation in trade, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence, Seoul's presidential office said.

The agreement came as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The two leaders discussed the potential for deeper cooperation amid global economic turbulence, Reuters reported.

"Kazakhstan holds immense potential in future high-tech industries, being a key partner for South Korea," Lee told Tokayev.

The nuclear energy MoU was one of 13 documents signed on September 15. Other agreements included cooperation on crude oil and on science and technology. Details were not immediately available.

On September 16, Lee hosts Tokayev and the leaders of four other Central Asian countries for a multilateral summit aimed at expanding cooperation.

The outreach reflects Seoul's so-called New Northern Policy, launched in 2017 to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and other Eurasian partners. Energy-poor South Korea is seeking to diversify its energy and mineral supplies while exporting its industrial expertise.

Earlier, South Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook told business leaders at a forum that the two countries should move beyond trade in crude oil and uranium to include lithium and critical minerals. She invited businesses to use South Korea's advanced technology for the exploration and production of Kazakhstan's rich mineral resources, helping to address growing uncertainties in global supply chains.