South Korean Ambassador to Russia Lee Sok-bae said Tuesday he will work to lay the foundation for restoring relations between Seoul and Moscow, which have remained strained following Russia's war in Ukraine.
Lee made the remarks during his inauguration ceremony, pledging to use his experience from his previous tenure as Seoul's top envoy to Russia from 2019 to 2022.
"Based on the experience and lessons I gained during my first term as ambassador to Russia, I will do my utmost to manage bilateral relations in a stable manner and to lay the groundwork for future restoration," he said.
Bilateral relations remain strained as Russia designated South Korea an "unfriendly" nation after Seoul joined international sanctions against Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
He said the growing closeness between Russia and North Korea has further narrowed South Korea's diplomatic space with Moscow.
"We now face a complex equation of managing South Korea-Russia relations stably while closely monitoring the impact of Russia-North Korea ties on the Korean Peninsula," he said.
Lee served in various roles in South Korea's diplomatic missions in Russia prior to his first stint as ambassador, including as consul general in Vladivostok. He is fluent in Russian, having served as an interpreter in a past summit. (Yonhap)
