[The Ukraine War and Central Asia’s Digital Transformation: Changing International Context and Korea’s Diplomatic Stance

The Ukraine War and Central Asia’s Digital Transformation: Changing International Context and Korea’s Diplomatic Stance

By Go Ho Eom [Professor, Graduate School of International Studies at Hanyang University]

▶ Amid Central Asia's efforts to enhance its multi-vector diplomacy while maintaining peaceful relations with Russia and China, the most striking area of cooperation is in the field of digital transformation. Digital transformation has become a top priority for Central Asian countries and the most promising area for Korea to gain a foothold in the region.

▶ Central Asia's smart cities are utilizing Chinese and Russian technologies. Although these technologies are solving a number of issues that the governments of these countries are currently facing, it is important to note that it also opens the door to the negative socioeconomic and political side effects of digitalization in the emerging democracies of Central Asia. There are concerns about whether the confidentiality of big data collected by tech giants like Huawei will be guaranteed and whether the facial recognition technology used in smart cities will not pose a serious threat to the protection of privacy.

▶ With the New Northern Policy, Korea has been striving to expand its presence in Central Asia's digital sector. It is necessary to develop a Korean-style smart city model that is suitable for Central Asia, and more active support is needed at the government level such as the "K-City Network". Thanks to Korea's positive image in Central Asia, especially it’s reputation as a technological powerhouse, if the Korean government developed a path for cooperation that reflects the changing context in the region, there is no question that Korea could seize new opportunities in Central Asia's digital sector.

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