South Korea is gradually restoring political and economic ties with Russia as its relations with Ukraine sour. The development has raised concerns among Seoul's European allies, who question whether the country will remain a reliable partner on war and security issues in Europe.
According to the Financial Times, European diplomats in Seoul believe the South Korean government is preparing to resume business with Russia if the war ends. One diplomat described the sentiment as follows: “The war in Ukraine won't last forever, and they want to get back to business with Russia as soon as it's over.“
Arctic route connects Seoul to Russian infrastructure
A sign of Seoul's more pragmatic approach is the development of Arctic shipping. The PanStar Acro set sail from Busan on August 22 and returned to South Korea after a 50-day round trip to Europe via the Northern Sea Route. The route passes along Russia's Arctic coast and requires coordination with Moscow.
President Lee Jae-myung welcomed the voyage and said South Korea would develop the Arctic route in accordance with international norms and sanctions. Seoul hopes to start regular shipping by 2030. The Northern Sea Route could shorten the journey between Asia and Europe, but remains dependent on seasonal ice conditions, specialist ships and Russian permits.
Fuel dispute and data discrepancies
Further questions have been raised by fuel supply figures. A “Guardian“ investigation, based on port records and ship movement data, found that more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, were loaded onto seven tankers at South Korean ports in July and August. The ships have made 14 voyages to the Russian Far East.
However, South Korean customs data does not report direct exports of diesel, gasoline or jet fuel to Russia for the period from August 2025 to August 2026, leaving a gap between the loading data and official statistics on the final exporter and recipient. South Korean authorities said they were applying restrictions on strategic goods and additional controls on other product categories.
Relations with Ukraine have deteriorated for weeks
In parallel with the restoration of ties with Moscow, Seoul has entered a sharp diplomatic dispute with Kiev. On September 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had handed over two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
The South Korean government claims that the transfer should have remained confidential, and has demanded an official explanation and apology. On October 8, Seoul recalled its ambassador from Ukraine, and on October 20, it announced the withdrawal of additional staff from the embassy in Kiev.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that Moscow had received signals from South Korean officials about a desire to normalize relations after the end of the war. South Korea's foreign ministry rejected the assessment of excessive rapprochement with Russia: “Concerns that South Korea is leaning too much towards Russia do not correspond to the facts.“ The ministry added that Seoul supports international efforts to end the war and restore peace in Ukraine.
The diplomatic dispute comes against the backdrop of deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. According to South Korean intelligence estimates, Pyongyang has sent about 15,000 servicemen to Russia since October 2024, with about 2,000 of them killed. The two prisoners handed over to South Korea were part of the North Korean forces fighting on the Russian side.
Sources: ft.com, theguardian.com, en.yna.co.kr