South Korea is gradually resuming economic and political ties with Russia, a move that is causing concern amongst its European partners. According to the Financial Times, as reported on 28 October 2026, President Lee Jae-myung’s government is increasingly focusing on its own economic interests, despite Russia’s war against Ukraine and Moscow’s military cooperation with North Korea. Reports of over 176,000 tonnes of fuel being shipped from South Korean ports to Russia and the recall of the South Korean ambassador from Kyiv have caused further tension. At the same time, Seoul denies that it has shifted its foreign policy stance in favour of Moscow.
- The Financial Times reports that European diplomats are concerned about South Korea’s growing rapprochement with Russia.
- In July and August, more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel were shipped from South Korean ports to Russia.
- Some of the cargo was transported by tankers subject to UK and EU sanctions.
- Seoul has recalled its ambassador from Ukraine and scaled back its diplomatic presence following a dispute over prisoners of war from North Korea.
- South Korea denies any pro-Russian shift and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fuel shipment.
Over 176,000 tonnes of fuel were transported to Russia
One of the main causes for concern has been the supply of petroleum products from South Korean ports to the Russian Federation. As reported by The Guardian, in July and August 2026, seven tankers made 14 voyages, transporting over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mainly diesel.
Three vessels were subject to sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and the European Union. Some tankers They initially declared other destinations, such as Japan or Singapore, but ultimately headed for Vladivostok in Russia.
According to data from the analytics firm Kpler, in August, shipments from South Korean ports accounted for around 31% of Russia’s seaborne imports of petroleum products. This made South Korea the second-largest source of such supplies by volume, after India.
Vladislav Vlasyuk, the President of Ukraine’s Special Representative for Sanctions Policy, stated that these shipments had helped Russia mitigate the impact of Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, which had caused a fuel shortage.
However Seoul denied claims of direct exports of petroleum products to the Russian Federation. According to the South Korean authorities, official customs statistics have not recorded any such shipments. The government is investigating the vessels’ routes, the origin of the cargo and possible breaches of the law.
That said, commercial petroleum products are not included in the list of goods whose export to Russia is explicitly restricted by South Korean regulations. Consequently, the mere fact that fuel is loaded at the country’s ports does not constitute a breach of local legislation.
Seoul is re-establishing ties with Moscow
The Financial Times cites the first commercial voyage of the South Korean container ship PanStar Acro along the Northern Sea Route, following Russia’s Arctic coastline, as a further sign of a possible rapprochement.
President Lee Je-myung He personally congratulated the crew at the end of the voyage. This route reduces the time taken to deliver cargo to Europe by around ten days compared with the route via the Suez Canal; however, using it requires cooperation with Russia.
According to the FT, European partners are also concerned about the behind-the-scenes political and economic contacts between Seoul and Moscow.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andriy Rudenko stated that the Russian side had received indications from South Korea that it was interested in normalising relations once the war in Ukraine had ended.
At the same time, experts caution against drawing definitive conclusions about a change in foreign policy. In their view, Lee Jae-myung’s administration is attempting to pursue a more pragmatic policy, taking into account Russia’s economic interests and geographical proximity.
South Korea has recalled its ambassador from Ukraine
Relations between Kyiv and Seoul have become strained following a diplomatic row over two North Korean prisoners of war whom Ukraine handed over to South Korea.
On 23 September, the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced their handover during a speech at the UN General Assembly. The South Korean side stated that the information was to remain confidential for the safety of the servicemen and their families in North Korea.
Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching the agreements and demanded an apology. The Ukrainian side denied the existence of any such non-disclosure agreement.
On 8 October, South Korea announced the recall of its ambassador from Ukraine. On 20 October, the country’s Foreign Ministry announced a further reduction in diplomatic staff, explaining that the decision was due to Kyiv’s inadequate response to the complaints.
At the same time, the embassy in Ukraine continued to operate, and diplomatic channels of communication between the two countries remained open.
Why is Europe concerned about South Korea’s policies?
European diplomats fear that, once the war against Ukraine is over, Seoul will seek to quickly re-establish extensive economic ties with Moscow. These fears are heightened by Russia’s military cooperation with North Korea. Pyongyang provides military support to Moscow, whilst Russia helps to strengthen the DPRK’s military capabilities, which has a direct impact on South Korea’s security. At the same time, European states themselves have a vested interest in defence cooperation with Seoul. In particular, Poland has signed major contracts to purchase South Korean military equipment.The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected suggestions of excessive rapprochement with Russia. The ministry emphasised that the country supports international efforts to end the war in Ukraine and restore peace.
As of 29 October 2026, Seoul had not officially announced that it was abandoning its sanctions policy towards Moscow. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fuel shipments is ongoing, whilst diplomatic differences with Ukraine remain the subject of consultations. Conclusions regarding a possible change in South Korea’s stance are based on assessments by diplomats and experts cited by the Financial Times.
