The key facts

  • Yengnam Ro said he wants to be a «bridge» between Korea and Russia
  • He acknowledged that literature and art do not resolve conflicts immediately, but preserve mutual understanding
  • Earlier, Putin spoke of «squandered» positive capital in relations with Seoul

Statement in Seoul

Yengnam Ro, former head of LG Electronics in Russia and the CIS countries and a South Korean poet, said he wants to become a connecting link between the Russian Federation and South Korea. «I would like to be a bridge between Korea and Russia,» he said at a meeting with Russian journalists in Seoul, reports Gazeta.Ru citing RIA Novosti.

The role of culture and business

According to Yengnam Ro, the experience and business relationships accumulated over many years could help him in this role. At the same time, he acknowledged that literature and art cannot immediately resolve international conflicts, but they make it possible to preserve opportunities for mutual understanding even during periods of political disagreements.

Context: assessments of the state of relations

The statement came against the backdrop of earlier remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He stated that he counts on the restoration of relations with South Korea, but noted that the positive capital in Moscow–Seoul interaction has largely been «squandered», even though the countries previously pursued pragmatic approaches and achieved good results in trade and business. In addition, Putin warned Seoul against supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine, calling such a step a very big mistake. Separately, media outlets reported unexpected supplies from South Korea to Russia, which, according to these reports, undermine support for Ukraine — this information remains at the level of media publications.