[전문] 안드레이 쿨릭 주한 러시아 대사의 Korea Times 인터뷰 20201102
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik speaks with The Korea Times at the Russian Embassy in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22, on the occasion of the newspaper's 70th anniversary and 30 years of Moscow-Seoul ties.
[INTERVIEW] Russia, Korea to build on 30 years of diplomatic relations
2020년 11월 2일
원문 : 주한 러시아연방 대사관 [ PDF ]
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik listed areas of cooperation between the two countries as he sat for an interview with The Korea Times at the Russian Embassy in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22.
With that day's copy of The Korea Times in his hand, Ambassador Kulik also openly shared his thoughts on the headline of one of the newspaper's page 1 stories.
These moments are implicitly attributed to 30 years of Russia-South Korea ties which, as described by Kulik, "have continued to develop in all spheres."
This year also marks the 70th year of the outbreak of the Korean War, which led to the foundation of The Korea Times. Its purpose was to provide news for the U.N. coalition forces fighting against the invasion of North Korea.
South Korea and Russia signed a bilateral diplomatic treaty on Sept, 30, 1990.
Through several years of negotiations afterward, South Korea accepted the Russian Federation's argument that its ownership of the site of the former Russian Legation, which was built in the late Joseon Kingdom and burned during the Korean War, remains effective.
It accordingly offered nearby land in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, for free and funded construction of the new embassy, on the basis of reciprocity the Embassy of the Republic of Korea was built in Moscow.
"We have a comprehensive, friendly, mutually beneficial relationship in politics, foreign policy, economy, science and technology, culture, sports, among others," Kulik said when asked to assess the 30 years of the bilateral friendship. "Our ties cover all imaginable spheres and have made significant achievements."
The areas of cooperation were related to President Moon Jae-in's signature diplomatic initiative, the New Northern Policy, as well as a stalled three-way logistics project linking the Russian border town of Khasan and North Korea's port city of Rajin, and combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Greater potential exists between our countries," Kulik added, noting Moon's latest economic blueprint, "Korean New Deal," as a possible option for further cooperation.
But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Russia and South Korea to postpone many of more than 300 celebratory events initially planned in both countries to mark their 30 years of friendship.
The celebrations for the "Year of Mutual Exchanges" have been rescheduled to 2021. The programs from the Russian side will include visits of a symphony orchestra and film screenings. They will be held in addition to "Russian Seasons," Moscow's global cultural campaign held in different countries every year. South Korea will be the 2021 destination.
"The programs are still being coordinated and I don't want to mislead The Korea Times readers by listing the details," Kulik said. "But they are world famous and I can tell you that."
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's possible trip to Korea on the 30th anniversary, the ambassador said it "already has been answered by the president himself."
During a telephone conversation with President Moon, Sept. 28, Putin confirmed that he would visit Korea.
Kulik noted South Korea's accumulated investment in Russia in 2019 — $2.63 billion — accounted for 0.5 percent of Korea's overall foreign direct investment, and stated that he hopes for the two sides to increase economic cooperation in the future.
The ambassador expressed hope the "Nine Bridges" initiative, a broadened concept of the New Northern Policy introduced in 2017, would accordingly help expand Korean investment. The initiative targets nine sectors — natural gas, railroads, seaports, electricity, Arctic shipping routes, shipbuilding, labor, agriculture and fisheries — to better implement the New Northern Policy aimed at engaging with countries north of the Korean Peninsula.
He said Russia "supports the idea of easing sanctions" on North Korea, when he talked about a stalled three-way logistics project. The project aims to transport Siberian-produced coal and Russia's other rich mineral resources through rail routes between Khasan to Rajin, and furthermore, expand the railway network to connect South Korea and other Eurasian countries.
"The project will stimulate inter-Korean relations. It should be our priority," Kulik said.
There were a lot of similarities between the two countries in the "Korean New Deal," the ambassador noted, because Russia was also interested in green energy and digitalization highlighted under the initiative that President Moon proposed this year.
"It's a question that should be discussed by experts," he said. "But looking at the situation from a political and strategic point of view, I see possibilities."
He declined to say when Sputnik V, a Russian-made coronavirus vaccine, would be produced in Korea as reported by several media outlets, saying, "These are commercial and business issues and I can't comment about that."
[Full text of the interview on the Korea Times site]
[INTERVIEW] Russia, Korea to build on 30 years of diplomatic relations
원문 : The Korean Times [ PDF ]
Ambassador Kulik finds possibility of further cooperation through President Moon's Korean New Deal
By Yi Whan-woo
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik listed areas of cooperation between the two countries as he sat for an interview with The Korea Times at the Russian Embassy in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22.
With that day's copy of The Korea Times in his hand, Ambassador Kulik also openly shared his thoughts on the headline of one of the newspaper's page 1 stories.
These moments are implicitly attributed to 30 years of Russia-South Korea ties which, as described by Kulik, "have continued to develop in all spheres."
This year also marks the 70th year of the outbreak of the Korean War, which led to the foundation of The Korea Times. Its purpose was to provide news for the U.N. coalition forces fighting against the invasion of North Korea.
South Korea and Russia signed a bilateral diplomatic treaty on Sept, 30, 1990.
Through several years of negotiations afterward, South Korea accepted the Russian Federation's argument that its ownership of the site of the former Russian Legation, which was built in the late Joseon Kingdom and burned during the Korean War, remains effective.
It accordingly offered nearby land in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, for free and funded construction of the new embassy, on the basis of reciprocity the Embassy of the Republic of Korea was built in Moscow.
"We have a comprehensive, friendly, mutually beneficial relationship in politics, foreign policy, economy, science and technology, culture, sports, among others," Kulik said when asked to assess the 30 years of the bilateral friendship. "Our ties cover all imaginable spheres and have made significant achievements."
The areas of cooperation were related to President Moon Jae-in's signature diplomatic initiative, the New Northern Policy, as well as a stalled three-way logistics project linking the Russian border town of Khasan and North Korea's port city of Rajin, and combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Greater potential exists between our countries," Kulik added, noting Moon's latest economic blueprint, "Korean New Deal," as a possible option for further cooperation.
But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Russia and South Korea to postpone many of more than 300 celebratory events initially planned in both countries to mark their 30 years of friendship.
The celebrations for the "Year of Mutual Exchanges" have been rescheduled to 2021. The programs from the Russian side will include visits of a symphony orchestra and film screenings. They will be held in addition to "Russian Seasons," Moscow's global cultural campaign held in different countries every year. South Korea will be the 2021 destination.
"The programs are still being coordinated and I don't want to mislead The Korea Times readers by listing the details," Kulik said. "But they are world famous and I can tell you that."
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's possible trip to Korea on the 30th anniversary, the ambassador said it "already has been answered by the president himself."
During a telephone conversation with President Moon, Sept. 28, Putin confirmed that he would visit Korea.
Kulik noted South Korea's accumulated investment in Russia in 2019 — $2.63 billion — accounted for 0.5 percent of Korea's overall foreign direct investment, and stated that he hopes for the two sides to increase economic cooperation in the future.
The ambassador expressed hope the "Nine Bridges" initiative, a broadened concept of the New Northern Policy introduced in 2017, would accordingly help expand Korean investment. The initiative targets nine sectors — natural gas, railroads, seaports, electricity, Arctic shipping routes, shipbuilding, labor, agriculture and fisheries — to better implement the New Northern Policy aimed at engaging with countries north of the Korean Peninsula.
He said Russia "supports the idea of easing sanctions" on North Korea, when he talked about a stalled three-way logistics project. The project aims to transport Siberian-produced coal and Russia's other rich mineral resources through rail routes between Khasan to Rajin, and furthermore, expand the railway network to connect South Korea and other Eurasian countries.
"The project will stimulate inter-Korean relations. It should be our priority," Kulik said.
There were a lot of similarities between the two countries in the "Korean New Deal," the ambassador noted, because Russia was also interested in green energy and digitalization highlighted under the initiative that President Moon proposed this year.
"It's a question that should be discussed by experts," he said. "But looking at the situation from a political and strategic point of view, I see possibilities."
He declined to say when Sputnik V, a Russian-made coronavirus vaccine, would be produced in Korea as reported by several media outlets, saying, "These are commercial and business issues and I can't comment about that."
On Korea Times
A career diplomat, Kulik entered diplomatic service in 1976. His has expertise in China, serving there from 1976 to 1980, from 1983 to 1989 and from 1993 to 1996. He was head of the First Asian Department at the Russian foreign ministry before serving his ambassadorship in Seoul from August 2018. The department focuses on relations with the two Koreas, China and Mongolia.
Being a Korea Times subscriber for more than two years, he said the newspaper was "very serious, covers various aspects of the Korean Peninsula and is respected by the public."
He said, "I have all the reasons to congratulate your newspaper with this great universality. The 70th anniversary means a lot and I wish your newspaper further development and many years of existence."
Regarding The Korea Times' reports that were sometimes critical of Russia, he said, "different countries, different people and different newspaper can have different points of view."
"You're a free press and whether I like or dislike your approach (on Russia-related issues) should not matter. What should matter is the philosophy of mass media and that it should reflect a whole variety of issues in a fair and objective manner," he said, noting that his perspective should be taken as that of an everyday reader, not as an ambassador.
2020년 11월 2일
원문 : 주한 러시아연방 대사관 [ PDF ]
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik listed areas of cooperation between the two countries as he sat for an interview with The Korea Times at the Russian Embassy in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22.
With that day's copy of The Korea Times in his hand, Ambassador Kulik also openly shared his thoughts on the headline of one of the newspaper's page 1 stories.
These moments are implicitly attributed to 30 years of Russia-South Korea ties which, as described by Kulik, "have continued to develop in all spheres."
This year also marks the 70th year of the outbreak of the Korean War, which led to the foundation of The Korea Times. Its purpose was to provide news for the U.N. coalition forces fighting against the invasion of North Korea.
South Korea and Russia signed a bilateral diplomatic treaty on Sept, 30, 1990.
Through several years of negotiations afterward, South Korea accepted the Russian Federation's argument that its ownership of the site of the former Russian Legation, which was built in the late Joseon Kingdom and burned during the Korean War, remains effective.
It accordingly offered nearby land in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, for free and funded construction of the new embassy, on the basis of reciprocity the Embassy of the Republic of Korea was built in Moscow.
"We have a comprehensive, friendly, mutually beneficial relationship in politics, foreign policy, economy, science and technology, culture, sports, among others," Kulik said when asked to assess the 30 years of the bilateral friendship. "Our ties cover all imaginable spheres and have made significant achievements."
The areas of cooperation were related to President Moon Jae-in's signature diplomatic initiative, the New Northern Policy, as well as a stalled three-way logistics project linking the Russian border town of Khasan and North Korea's port city of Rajin, and combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Greater potential exists between our countries," Kulik added, noting Moon's latest economic blueprint, "Korean New Deal," as a possible option for further cooperation.
But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Russia and South Korea to postpone many of more than 300 celebratory events initially planned in both countries to mark their 30 years of friendship.
The celebrations for the "Year of Mutual Exchanges" have been rescheduled to 2021. The programs from the Russian side will include visits of a symphony orchestra and film screenings. They will be held in addition to "Russian Seasons," Moscow's global cultural campaign held in different countries every year. South Korea will be the 2021 destination.
"The programs are still being coordinated and I don't want to mislead The Korea Times readers by listing the details," Kulik said. "But they are world famous and I can tell you that."
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's possible trip to Korea on the 30th anniversary, the ambassador said it "already has been answered by the president himself."
During a telephone conversation with President Moon, Sept. 28, Putin confirmed that he would visit Korea.
Kulik noted South Korea's accumulated investment in Russia in 2019 — $2.63 billion — accounted for 0.5 percent of Korea's overall foreign direct investment, and stated that he hopes for the two sides to increase economic cooperation in the future.
The ambassador expressed hope the "Nine Bridges" initiative, a broadened concept of the New Northern Policy introduced in 2017, would accordingly help expand Korean investment. The initiative targets nine sectors — natural gas, railroads, seaports, electricity, Arctic shipping routes, shipbuilding, labor, agriculture and fisheries — to better implement the New Northern Policy aimed at engaging with countries north of the Korean Peninsula.
He said Russia "supports the idea of easing sanctions" on North Korea, when he talked about a stalled three-way logistics project. The project aims to transport Siberian-produced coal and Russia's other rich mineral resources through rail routes between Khasan to Rajin, and furthermore, expand the railway network to connect South Korea and other Eurasian countries.
"The project will stimulate inter-Korean relations. It should be our priority," Kulik said.
There were a lot of similarities between the two countries in the "Korean New Deal," the ambassador noted, because Russia was also interested in green energy and digitalization highlighted under the initiative that President Moon proposed this year.
"It's a question that should be discussed by experts," he said. "But looking at the situation from a political and strategic point of view, I see possibilities."
He declined to say when Sputnik V, a Russian-made coronavirus vaccine, would be produced in Korea as reported by several media outlets, saying, "These are commercial and business issues and I can't comment about that."
[Full text of the interview on the Korea Times site]
[INTERVIEW] Russia, Korea to build on 30 years of diplomatic relations
원문 : The Korean Times [ PDF ]
Ambassador Kulik finds possibility of further cooperation through President Moon's Korean New Deal
By Yi Whan-woo
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik listed areas of cooperation between the two countries as he sat for an interview with The Korea Times at the Russian Embassy in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22.
With that day's copy of The Korea Times in his hand, Ambassador Kulik also openly shared his thoughts on the headline of one of the newspaper's page 1 stories.
These moments are implicitly attributed to 30 years of Russia-South Korea ties which, as described by Kulik, "have continued to develop in all spheres."
This year also marks the 70th year of the outbreak of the Korean War, which led to the foundation of The Korea Times. Its purpose was to provide news for the U.N. coalition forces fighting against the invasion of North Korea.
South Korea and Russia signed a bilateral diplomatic treaty on Sept, 30, 1990.
Through several years of negotiations afterward, South Korea accepted the Russian Federation's argument that its ownership of the site of the former Russian Legation, which was built in the late Joseon Kingdom and burned during the Korean War, remains effective.
It accordingly offered nearby land in Jeong-dong, central Seoul, for free and funded construction of the new embassy, on the basis of reciprocity the Embassy of the Republic of Korea was built in Moscow.
"We have a comprehensive, friendly, mutually beneficial relationship in politics, foreign policy, economy, science and technology, culture, sports, among others," Kulik said when asked to assess the 30 years of the bilateral friendship. "Our ties cover all imaginable spheres and have made significant achievements."
The areas of cooperation were related to President Moon Jae-in's signature diplomatic initiative, the New Northern Policy, as well as a stalled three-way logistics project linking the Russian border town of Khasan and North Korea's port city of Rajin, and combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Greater potential exists between our countries," Kulik added, noting Moon's latest economic blueprint, "Korean New Deal," as a possible option for further cooperation.
But the COVID-19 pandemic forced Russia and South Korea to postpone many of more than 300 celebratory events initially planned in both countries to mark their 30 years of friendship.
The celebrations for the "Year of Mutual Exchanges" have been rescheduled to 2021. The programs from the Russian side will include visits of a symphony orchestra and film screenings. They will be held in addition to "Russian Seasons," Moscow's global cultural campaign held in different countries every year. South Korea will be the 2021 destination.
"The programs are still being coordinated and I don't want to mislead The Korea Times readers by listing the details," Kulik said. "But they are world famous and I can tell you that."
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's possible trip to Korea on the 30th anniversary, the ambassador said it "already has been answered by the president himself."
During a telephone conversation with President Moon, Sept. 28, Putin confirmed that he would visit Korea.
Kulik noted South Korea's accumulated investment in Russia in 2019 — $2.63 billion — accounted for 0.5 percent of Korea's overall foreign direct investment, and stated that he hopes for the two sides to increase economic cooperation in the future.
The ambassador expressed hope the "Nine Bridges" initiative, a broadened concept of the New Northern Policy introduced in 2017, would accordingly help expand Korean investment. The initiative targets nine sectors — natural gas, railroads, seaports, electricity, Arctic shipping routes, shipbuilding, labor, agriculture and fisheries — to better implement the New Northern Policy aimed at engaging with countries north of the Korean Peninsula.
He said Russia "supports the idea of easing sanctions" on North Korea, when he talked about a stalled three-way logistics project. The project aims to transport Siberian-produced coal and Russia's other rich mineral resources through rail routes between Khasan to Rajin, and furthermore, expand the railway network to connect South Korea and other Eurasian countries.
"The project will stimulate inter-Korean relations. It should be our priority," Kulik said.
There were a lot of similarities between the two countries in the "Korean New Deal," the ambassador noted, because Russia was also interested in green energy and digitalization highlighted under the initiative that President Moon proposed this year.
"It's a question that should be discussed by experts," he said. "But looking at the situation from a political and strategic point of view, I see possibilities."
He declined to say when Sputnik V, a Russian-made coronavirus vaccine, would be produced in Korea as reported by several media outlets, saying, "These are commercial and business issues and I can't comment about that."
On Korea Times
A career diplomat, Kulik entered diplomatic service in 1976. His has expertise in China, serving there from 1976 to 1980, from 1983 to 1989 and from 1993 to 1996. He was head of the First Asian Department at the Russian foreign ministry before serving his ambassadorship in Seoul from August 2018. The department focuses on relations with the two Koreas, China and Mongolia.
Being a Korea Times subscriber for more than two years, he said the newspaper was "very serious, covers various aspects of the Korean Peninsula and is respected by the public."
He said, "I have all the reasons to congratulate your newspaper with this great universality. The 70th anniversary means a lot and I wish your newspaper further development and many years of existence."
Regarding The Korea Times' reports that were sometimes critical of Russia, he said, "different countries, different people and different newspaper can have different points of view."
"You're a free press and whether I like or dislike your approach (on Russia-related issues) should not matter. What should matter is the philosophy of mass media and that it should reflect a whole variety of issues in a fair and objective manner," he said, noting that his perspective should be taken as that of an everyday reader, not as an ambassador.