President Moon Jae-in met with Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin and Stanislav Pozdnyakov, head of the delegation of the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR), as well as other officials at Cheong Wa Dae for 30 minutes from 2:00 this afternoon.

President Moon gave high marks to the Russian Government for its active cooperation and support to make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a success: it sent a large-scale delegation of Russian Olympians despite difficult situations and dispatched Presidential Aide Levitin to Korea twice to take care of related tasks.

President Moon noted that the ties of friendship and partnership between Korea and Russia have been progressing more dynamically than at any time before. He went on to express the hope that sports exchanges on the occasion of this Winter Olympics would help spread a bond of mutual empathy and friendly sentiments between the peoples of the two countries, laying a more solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations.

By Korea hosting the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games and Russia hosting the FIFA World Cup in June this year, President Moon noted that the two countries would together join the group of seven countries that have hosted all three major international sporting events, including both the Summer and Winter Games and the FIFA World Cup. The President added he was pleased about that fact. 

The visiting presidential aide and head of the OAR delegation expressed their appreciation to President Moon, saying that they had been deeply moved by Korean people`s warm hospitality at the airport and during the Opening Ceremony.

President Moon especially mentioned the men’s ice hockey team from Russia, which early confirmed its entering the quarterfinals, and the stellar performances of the Russian figure skating team, including female skater Evgenia Medvedeva who is known to be a big fan of K-pop. The President went on to say that the participation of Russian athletes who were very competent was greatly contributing to making the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a global festival.

Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Levitin presented President Moon an official soccer ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and asked him to visit Russia during the event. The meeting today was to encourage Olympic athletes from Russia who are participating in the PyeongChang Olympics as individuals rather than members representing their country due to sanctions by the International Olympic Committee. This meeting was also to solidify Korea’s friendship with Russia.