Overview

• At a Seoul conference marking 35 years of relations, Russian envoy Dmitry Kulkin proposed resuming political dialogue and restarting the intergovernmental commission and interregional forum.
• Kulkin urged reactivating parliamentary friendship groups and restoring direct flights to help broaden cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
• Former South Korean lawmaker Kim Hyun-ju argued economic engagement with Russia is necessary and said companies are ready to return once a political signal emerges, citing LG and Korean Air.
• Ex-official Pak Chon-su suggested Russia could serve as a neutral venue for North–South Korean cooperation and cautioned against deepening bloc confrontation.
• The event gathered diplomats, former envoys, experts and business figures under the Russian embassy's aegis, with no new commitments announced by the South Korean government.