South Korea calls Russia ‘strategic partner’ in bid to maintain ties amid Ukraine tensions

Analysts say South Korea is driven by a pragmatic calculus that prioritises preserving its diplomatic rapport with Russia, given Moscow’s critical role in the security landscape of the Korean peninsula, which shares a border with Russia’s far eastern region.

“Russia is a strategic partner that can play an important role in the Korean peninsula issue, and our security and economic interests are at stake,” Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said on Saturday during a television interview.

“The South Korean government should also protect Koreans’ lives and businesses in Russia and, for this reason, communication at a necessary level with Moscow is absolutely required.”

However, the foreign minister noted that it would be impossible to restore bilateral ties to pre-war levels “as long as the war in Ukraine rages and Russo-North Korean military cooperation continues”.

“If there are actions that undermine our core security interests, we would respond with stern countermeasures”, Cho said. “We’ll manage the situation properly, closely monitoring Russia’s behaviour.”

He called for cooperation between South Korea and Nato to “thoroughly block” the threats.

Ties between Moscow and Seoul have also been strained by South Korea’s significant financial commitments to aiding Ukraine.

Seoul provided US$100 million in humanitarian aid to Kyiv in 2022. It pledged an additional US$150 million in short-term aid in 2023 and US$300 million earlier this year, as well as US$2 billion in long-term, low-interest loans via the Economic Development Cooperation Fund beginning in 2025.

However, Seoul stopped short of making a commitment to directly supply Ukraine with its much sought-after lethal weapons, including artillery shells, despite efforts by Nato