European diplomats are alarmed by South Korea's rapprochement with Russia. F.T. This material (information) is produced and distributed by the foreign agent of the bell or relates to the activity of the foreign agent of the bell. 18+ European diplomats in Seoul see South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's policy as "slanting" diplomatically and commercially towards Moscow, writes the Financial Times. "The position is this: the war will not last forever, and they want to go back to business with Russia as soon as it ends," one European diplomat told the publication. What worries the Europeans: - On October 11, the first South Korean container ship to sail to Europe and back along the Northern Sea Route returned to Busan. The route along the Arctic coast of Russia to Rotterdam is about 7,000 km shorter than the route through the Suez Canal, but requires close cooperation with Moscow. Lee Jae-myung personally met the team and promised to "open a new path" for the country. - In July and August, more than 176,000 tons of fuel, mainly diesel, were sent from South Korea to Russia, including on tankers under sanctions by the United Kingdom and the European Union, according to information cited by the FT. A South Korean official denies exporting the fuel to Russia and says authorities are investigating whether the destination was falsely declared. - In October, Lee appointed former Democratic Party leader Song Yong-gil, a longtime supporter of rapprochement with Moscow, as an adviser on "peace diplomacy." In 2013, Vladimir Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship in the Kremlin. - The National Security Strategy Institute, which is linked to South Korean intelligence, holds closed meetings with Russia's International Affairs Council. In June, the head of the institute went to Moscow. At the same time, Seoul is at loggerheads with Kyiv. In September, Vladimir Zelensky spoke publicly about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul considered this a violation of the confidentiality agreement, summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and demanded an apology.

European diplomats are alarmed by South Korea's rapprochement with Russia. F.T. This material (information) is produced and distributed by the foreign agent of the bell or relates to the activity of the foreign agent of the bell. 18+ European diplomats in Seoul see South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's policy as "slanting" diplomatically and commercially towards Moscow, writes the Financial Times. "The position is this: the war will not last forever, and they want to go back to business with Russia as soon as it ends," one European diplomat told the publication. What worries the Europeans: - On October 11, the first South Korean container ship to sail to Europe and back along the Northern Sea Route returned to Busan. The route along the Arctic coast of Russia to Rotterdam is about 7,000 km shorter than the route through the Suez Canal, but requires close cooperation with Moscow. Lee Jae-myung personally met the team and promised to "open a new path" for the country. - In July and August, more than 176,000 tons of fuel, mainly diesel, were sent from South Korea to Russia, including on tankers under sanctions by the United Kingdom and the European Union, according to information cited by the FT. A South Korean official denies exporting the fuel to Russia and says authorities are investigating whether the destination was falsely declared. - In October, Lee appointed former Democratic Party leader Song Yong-gil, a longtime supporter of rapprochement with Moscow, as an adviser on "peace diplomacy." In 2013, Vladimir Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship in the Kremlin. - The National Security Strategy Institute, which is linked to South Korean intelligence, holds closed meetings with Russia's International Affairs Council. In June, the head of the institute went to Moscow. At the same time, Seoul is at loggerheads with Kyiv. In September, Vladimir Zelensky spoke publicly about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul considered this a violation of the confidentiality agreement, summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and demanded an apology.