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Korea and Russia Commemorate 20Years of Diplomatic Relations

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Russia, a Neighbors Meet Again exhibition was presented at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center (September 29-October 12).
This event served as a meaningful occasion to look back on the exchange of people and culture between the two countries well before the resumption of diplomatic relations.



The pre-modern and modern history of Korea includes numerous examples of involvement with Russia, such as the Russian Legation that witnessed historical events leading up to the final years of Daehanjeguk (Great Han Empire), Russian architect Seredin-Sabatin who designed the Independence Gate in Seoul after the Sino-Japanese War, An Jung-geun who took refuge in Russia while leading the struggle for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule, and Soyuz, a spacecraft that carried the first Korean astronaut into global orbit. Although two decades have passed since the establishment of Korea-Russia diplomatic relations, Russia has remained somewhat unfamiliar to many Korean people. As such, the Neighbors Meet Again exhibition was a rare opportunity to reflect on the wide spectrum of historical events involving Russia and Korea from long ago and more recent times.

Rich Historical Background
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Russia, the Neighbors Meet Again exhibition was one of the cultural events of the Korea-Russia Dialogue, which had been launched in April 2010. The exhibition attracted the attention of both countries’ media and prominent figures as it offered a unique opportunity to view the friendly relations between Korea and Russia that emerged even before they first established diplomatic relations in the 19th century. This keen interest was evident from the large number of distinguished guests who attended the exhibition’s opening ceremony, which included Konstantin Vnukov, Russian Ambassador to Korea; Lee Ki-su, Chairperson of the Korea-Russia Dialogue Mediation Committee and President of Korea University; Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairperson of the Korea Chamber of Commerce; and several members of Korea’s National Assembly.
About 100 items, including photos, books, and videos related to Korea-Russia exchange were displayed under three themes of “Meeting,” “Longing,” and “Going Together.” The Meeting section focused on exhibits from the period around the year 1884 when Russia and Korea concluded a formal treaty of diplomatic relations for the first time. The portraits of Emperor Gojong and Tsar Nikolai II in their formal attire were especially impressive. The two leaders seemed to welcome visitors into the exhibition area.
The first section featured a photo-print of “The Map of Siberia” that a Russian diplomat prepared in 1678, in which Korea is denoted as the Korean Empire, along with photos of the Min Yeong-hwan-led Korean delegation to Russia, images of the Palada, the first Russian ship to visit Korea in 1854, and manuscripts of Weber, a diplomat who assisted Emperor Gojong when he sought refugee at the Russian Legation, of which parts of the original building still exist in Jeong-dong, Seoul. Of particular note, there are photos of two nickel braziers sent by Gojong to Nikolai II as a congratulatory gift upon his coronation in 1896. Shown to the public for the first time in 110 years, it could be seen from the photos that the braziers were artistic works of exceptional craftsmanship. In addition, photos of Korea taken by a Russian explorer in 1898 were also shown for the first time in Korea, which attracted considerable attention from visitors.



Cultural Exchange
The “Longing” displays revealed Korea-Russia exchange during the period when their formal relations had been severed due to the Russo-Japanese War. Exhibited items included the first Korean translation of a work by the renowned Russian writer Tolstoy, and the first Russian translation of “The Story of Chunhyang,” which was published in Russia in 1894. In addition, there were materials on Korean and Russian individuals, such as records of the Association of Koreans based in Moscow and items of Russians who defected to Korea in the 1920s.
The most noteworthy display was related to Viktor Tsoi. The child of a second-generation Korean father and Russian mother, Victor Tsoi was a legendary rock music star of Russia, who was killed in a car accident in 1990, right before a concert performance in his grandfather’s land. A replica of the wall memorial set up in his honor on Arbat Street, Moscow, was re-d in the exhibition hall, with video highlights, photos, and commemorative stamps, featuring Tsoi as the leader of his “Kino” rock band.
The “Going Together” section offered a summary of the two decades since Korea and Russia resumed diplomatic relations in 1990. Korean viewers as well as the Russian community in Korea were pleased by the exhibit of coins minted in Moscow to commemorate the opening of Korea-Russia diplomatic relations, and handcrafted Russian dolls made by the Society of Matryoshka, comprised mainly of Korean diplomats, and their families, who had served in Russia.

Neighborly Relations
The establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Russia is a significant event in Korea’s modern history for overcoming the Cold War’s legacy in Northeast Asia. During the 20 years that have elapsed since the formalization of diplomatic relations, the two countries have seen dramatic development in their bilateral relations, which in terms of economic exchange includes a 50-fold increase in two-way trade over the past two decades.
Nevertheless, since a majority of the Korean people is not directly involved with Korea-Russia relations, the exhibition served as a meaningful occasion for Koreans to realize the vast potential of people-to-people and culture-to-culture interaction, regardless of the status of formal diplomatic relations. It was also an opportunity to realize how the two countries’ relations can more fully bloom through continued dialogue and exchange efforts. The Neighbors Meet Again exhibition indeed provided tangible evidence of how the peoples of Korea and Russia have been connected over the years.

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