️🇰🇷🇷🇺 FT: European diplomats have expressed concern over South Korea's apparent diplomatic and trade shift toward Moscow under President Lee Jae-myung, raising questions about Seoul's accommodation with Western security interests.
The unrest follows the first voyage of South Korean container ships through the Russian-controlled Northern Sea Route, reports of large fuel shipments to Russia, and a growing rift with Kiev over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war. While Seoul takes a pragmatic approach to maintaining relations with its neighbor, European leverage remains limited due to heavy reliance on South Korea's defense sector to replenish its weapons stockpile.