The key facts

  • In July and August, South Korea shipped more than 170,000 tons of fuel to Russia, partly on sanctioned tankers (FT).
  • Seoul recalled Ambassador Park Hee-chan from Ukraine after Zelensky disclosed information about two North Korean prisoners of war.
  • Kyiv apologized, but Seoul deemed it insufficient; the Foreign Ministry declared readiness for 'decisive measures.'

Seoul's foreign policy pivot

Under President Lee Jae-myung, South Korea is gradually restoring diplomatic and economic contacts with Russia — despite the conflict in Ukraine and Moscow's military cooperation with Pyongyang. This is reported by Financial Times citing its own reporting; a brief summary is provided by Gazeta.Ru. In Europe, the outlet notes, there are concerns that Seoul is preparing to restore full-fledged relations with Russia after the special military operation, putting its own interests above support for Ukraine.

Fuel supplies and cooling ties with Kyiv

FT cites fuel deliveries as a concrete indicator of the rapprochement: in July and August, South Korea shipped to Russia more than 170,000 tons of fuel, with part of the shipments carried on tankers under sanctions. At the same time, according to the newspaper, relations with Kyiv have 'sharply deteriorated': after a dispute over the disclosure of information about two North Korean prisoners of war, Seoul recalled its ambassador from Ukraine and reduced its diplomatic presence.

The prisoners of war scandal

The crisis was triggered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to disclose the fact that North Korean soldiers captured in battle had been handed over to Seoul. In early October, South Korea's Foreign Ministry recalled Ambassador Park Hee-chan from Ukraine, and Lee Jae-myung sharply condemned the disclosure of this information. Kyiv apologized, but Seoul considered the apology insufficient: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that the country was preparing 'decisive measures.' This marks a notable shift from the previous position: it was previously reported that South Korea intended to support Ukraine, despite the disagreements. It remains unclear what exactly the 'decisive measures' mentioned by the head of South Korea's foreign ministry would entail, and whether the rapprochement with Moscow will lead to a full normalization of relations.