Kia has officially commenced operations at its semi-knockdown (CKD) joint venture plant in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, as part of its strategy to penetrate the Central Asian market. Kia announced on the 21st that a completion ceremony was held, attended by President Song Ho-sung and Roman Sklyar, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, marking the start of mass production of the Sorento. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also participated in the event via remote video.

Kia invested USD 310 million (approximately KRW 420 billion) to build the 630,000 square meter plant located about 570 km northwest of the Kazakh capital, Astana. The company expects to produce 70,000 vehicles annually at this facility. With the mass production of the Sorento underway, the Sportage is set to be added to the production list next year. The Kazakhstan production plant is considered a crucial strategic asset for Kia to secure a foothold in the Central Asian market. Following the suspension of operations at its Saint Petersburg plant due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Kia has been pursuing the establishment of this plant. During the completion ceremony, the company outlined its vision to develop the Kazakhstan plant into a production and sales hub covering the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central Asian markets.

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