By Sohn JiAe
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to Russia was the first move in his planned program of summits following the recent inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea talks.

It’s safe to say that the two-night, four-day visit was successful enough to garner support from Russia, a country that President Moon says will play a crucial role in the future of Korea, as better inter-Korean ties could lead to economic cooperation between Seoul and Pyeongyang. 

During the visit, President Moon saw Korea-Russia cooperation solidified, what he called in a June 21 address to the State Duma in Russia as the “cornerstone of peace on the Korean Peninsula and prosperity across Northeast Asia.” 

President Moon and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed that bilateral cooperation must evolve into trilateral cooperation among South Korea, North Korea and Russia, focusing on railroads, gas and electricity. 
The two leaders also acknowledged the need for complete denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

President Putin said in a summit with President Moon on June 22, “I welcome Washington and Pyeongyang’s willingness to resolve the crisis through dialogue and negotiations,” as he praised the outcomes of two rounds of inter-Korean summits. 

As part of efforts to further strengthen bilateral trade between Seoul and Moscow, lots of attention was paid to the agreement to work toward a free trade agreement (FTA) covering services and investment. 

This agreement is expected to serve as a significant stepping stone toward achieving USD 30 billion in total trade volume and 1 million human-to-human exchanges between Korea and Russia by 2020. That year also marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. President Moon covered this and other subjects in his speech at the Korea-Russia Business Forum on June 22. 

President Moon also struck a total of 19 memoranda of understanding to work toward FTAs that cover IT and tech, sports, social welfare, healthcare, shipping LNG gas via a North Pole route, integrating electricity grids, and cultural exchanges. 

Meanwhile, first lady Kim Jung-sook, who accompanied President Moon on his trip, engaged in soft diplomacy by attending a joint Korea-Russia classical music concert at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and by visiting the Tolstoy Estate Museum.

The first lady said at the museum, which used to be the winter home for Russia’s greatest author, Leo Tolstoy, that, “This place reminds me of the strong love for humanity and humanism that I found in Tolstoy novels during my school days. I can feel a stronger sense of respect toward this greatest author here.”

“I hope that the Korea-Russia relationship will continue to grow through the arts and will become the catalyst for world peace and prosperity,” she added. 

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