FT: Europeans Worried About Deepening South Korea–Russia Cooperation

Seoul is gradually restoring political and economic ties with Moscow, despite Russia’s war against Ukraine and its military cooperation with North Korea.

European allies of South Korea have begun to doubt Seoul’s reliability as a partner due to the gradual restoration of political and economic contacts with Russia. The concerns are heightened by Moscow’s military cooperation with North Korea and the ongoing war against Ukraine.

This is reported by the Financial Times.

One signal of the rapprochement with Moscow was the voyage of the container ship PanStar Acro along the northern sea route past the Russian Arctic coast. After the voyage, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol welcomed the ship’s crew and said he intended to "respond with unwavering actions and open a new path for the Republic of Korea."

This route allows shortening the path to Europe via the Suez Canal by 10 days, but it requires broad cooperation with Russia. European diplomats in Seoul welcomed the voyage as a diplomatic and commercial step toward Moscow.

Another area of concern was information about shipments from South Korea to Russia of more than 176 thousand tons of fuel, mostly diesel, in July and August. According to the publication, the fuels were carried by tankers under sanctions by the United Kingdom and the European Union.

One European diplomat in Seoul said South Korea aims to restore business relations with Russia after the war in Ukraine ends.

"South Korea is not truly of one mind. The stake is that the war in Ukraine will not last forever, and they want to return immediately to business relations with Russia as soon as it ends," the diplomat said.

At the same time, as the Financial Times notes, concerns about South Korea’s compliance with sanctions and export controls existed even before President Yoon’s term. In particular, there were concerns about computer numerical control machines that could be used to manufacture ammunition.

In February 2025, two South Korean executives were convicted for illegal export of such machines to Russia. They received suspended sentences of one year in prison, and the company was fined 30 thousand dollars.

During Yoon’s presidency, concerns intensified. In November 2025, the Institute for National Security Strategy of South Korea held a closed conference with the Russian Council on International Affairs. According to the Russian organization’s website, participants discussed possibilities for political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation. In June, the institute’s president Kim Song-be also visited Moscow for closed strategic talks with Russian colleagues.

Another factor was the president’s personnel policy. Yoon appointed former leader of the Democratic Party Son Yon-hil as special adviser on peaceful diplomacy. Son, who previously was the president’s envoy to Russia, advocates closer ties with Moscow. In 2013, Vladimir Putin awarded him the Russian Order of Friendship.

Meison Rich, a professor of international politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, noted that administration members who advocate a different approach to security may lose influence over the president, while Son has access to him.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Andrei Rudenko stated this month that Moscow has received signals from the South Korean authorities about a desire to normalize relations after the war in Ukraine ends.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to the Financial Times, denied that the country was excessively aligning with Russia.

"Concerns among some circles that South Korea is leaning too closely toward Russia do not reflect the facts," the ministry said.

They also emphasized that South Korea, as a responsible member of the international community, supports global efforts aimed at stopping the war in Ukraine and restoring peace.

Against this backdrop, Seoul’s relations with Kyiv have deteriorated. After a dispute over disclosing information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, Yoon accused Ukraine of violating the confidentiality agreement and demanded apologies. The South Korean government recalled its ambassador and part of the diplomatic staff from Ukraine.

Asan Institute for Policy Studies researcher Kim Sae-me applauded against overstating Seoul’s rapprochement with Moscow. She said Yoon’s administration has moved away from so-called “values-based diplomacy,” and adheres to a more pragmatic approach oriented toward national interests.

She explained that South Korea traditionally regards Russia as one of four key powers alongside the United States, China, and Japan. The researcher stressed that when formulating policy toward Moscow, Seoul must consider Russia’s assistance in strengthening North Korea’s military capability, which increases the threat to South Korea itself.

Earlier, South Korea recalled its ambassador from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, announced the transfer of two captured North Korean servicemen to Seoul.

South Korea said that making this information public violated the confidentiality agreement that was intended to protect prisoners of war and their families in North Korea.

After the ambassador was recalled, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geghory Tykhy stated that Kyiv remained open to constructive dialogue with Seoul despite this decision. He said that the Ukrainian side invited the South Korean diplomat to the Foreign Ministry to present its position and find ways to resolve the situation.