Russian ambassador in Seoul thanks North Korean troops for 'liberation' of Kursk
Published: 13 Feb. 2026, 16:46
Updated: 13 Feb. 2026, 16:48
![Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev speaks to reporters ahead of a Maslenitsa spring festival event at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 28, 2025. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/13/1a1f9d08-5317-4a36-b6c6-d998cbd442ec.jpg)
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev speaks to reporters ahead of a Maslenitsa spring festival event at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 28, 2025. [NEWS1]
As Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on, Moscow’s ambassador in Seoul publicly thanked North Korean troops for the “liberation” of part of the Kursk region, in a rare acknowledgment of their role on the battlefield and a sign of how the conflict has drawn Pyongyang deeper into Russia’s orbit.
“Russia is well aware of the contribution made by North Korean forces in liberating the southern part of the Kursk region from Ukrainian troops and Western mercenaries,” Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev said Wednesday at a reception at the Russian Embassy in central Seoul. He spoke in Russian, and his remarks were translated into Korean at the event.
"We will not forget the greatness of the Korean People’s Army," he said.
He added that relations between the two countries had entered “a new and higher stage,” referring to the bilateral treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang.
![Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev, right, and the Russian Embassy's third secretary Vladislav Sorokin attend an informal event marking Russian Diplomat’s Day, observed on Feb. 10, at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 11. Sorokin provides interpretation during the event. [HAN JEE-HYE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/13/9cecf853-eaf4-4d2b-9570-e69225a3eb84.jpg)
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev, right, and the Russian Embassy's third secretary Vladislav Sorokin attend an informal event marking Russian Diplomat’s Day, observed on Feb. 10, at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 11. Sorokin provides interpretation during the event. [HAN JEE-HYE]
Zinoviev's comments came as military cooperation between the two countries has become more visible, and amid reports that North Korean troops have been deployed to defend Russian territory.
Border areas, including Kursk, which Russia in 2025 said it recaptured after Ukraine launched a surprise offensive in 2024, have continued to face repeated drone and artillery attacks from Ukrainian forces. Zinoviev’s remarks suggested North Korean forces played a role in reinforcing and maintaining defensive lines in the border region.
Western officials and some news outlets have offered a darker assessment. They say North Korean soldiers have taken part in large-scale assaults — sometimes described as “human wave” attacks — or have been positioned in ways that reduced Russian casualties.
Reports have also suggested that some units were deployed to forward positions without adequate equipment or protection. Russian officials have avoided discussing battlefield tactics and instead emphasized what they describe as North Korea’s broader strategic contribution.
![Pictured is a North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region as revealed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his X account. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/13/df025cc4-5966-46d9-ae0e-e9c72ee6c342.jpg)
Pictured is a North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region as revealed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his X account. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Zinoviev also said the war would end only on Moscow’s terms.
“The war will end when Russia wins,” he said, outlining three conditions: the complete elimination of threats to Russia’s security, guarantees of the fundamental rights of Russian-speaking residents in Ukraine and a resolution of territorial issues in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Those principles restate longstanding Kremlin demands, including halting NATO’s expansion and recognizing Russia’s claimed annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Asked about negotiations, Zinoviev said “immediately after the Abu Dhabi talks, there was an attempt to carry out a terrorist attack against members of the Russian delegation,” adding that “such incidents complicate the negotiation process.” He did not provide evidence.
He said Russia "prefers a diplomatic solution," but added that past agreements had fallen through due to what he described as external factors, voicing concern about possible Western involvement.
He also referred to a previously discussed 28-point peace proposal and said “progress was not made after the United States withdrew its position.”
The reported proposal would have required Ukraine to recognize Russian control over certain territories, reduce its armed forces and abandon its bid to join NATO — conditions Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected.
![Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev, third on left, and other officials attend an informal event marking Russian Diplomat’s Day, observed on Feb. 10, at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, centrral Seoul, on Feb. 11. [RUSSIAN EMBASSY]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/13/a2ebfe19-bde0-4924-abf7-379bf6eaa6a4.jpg)
Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev, third on left, and other officials attend an informal event marking Russian Diplomat’s Day, observed on Feb. 10, at the Russian Embassy in Jung District, centrral Seoul, on Feb. 11. [RUSSIAN EMBASSY]
Beyond the battlefield, Zinoviev turned to the deterioration of relations between Moscow and Seoul since the war began.
He said annual trade had fallen from $21.1 billion before the invasion to $10.9 billion and argued that South Korea’s export controls on roughly 1,400 items had made it “virtually impossible” for major automotive and electronics companies to operate in Russia. At the same time, he added, “Korea is a sovereign state, and Russia has no intention of offering recommendations or instructions.”
He also addressed concerns about South Korea’s reported pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines. Based on publicly available information, he said, the effort appeared likely to follow the Aukus model, referring to the security partnership among the United States, Britain and Australia.
If a nuclear-weapon state were to transfer weapons-grade highly enriched nuclear material to a non-nuclear-weapon state, he warned, it “could pose a serious challenge to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime and the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards system.”
"Such a move could be seen in Northeast Asia as military pressure on Pyongyang and would not help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula," he said.
On the Northern Sea Route, an Arctic shipping corridor that Russia has promoted as an alternative pathway to Europe, Zinoviev said the route structurally passes through Russian territorial waters or exclusive economic zones.
"If South Korea seeks new logistics corridors to Europe, cooperation with Russia would be unavoidable," he said.
"The Northern Sea Route is not merely commercial but a strategic project operating in high-latitude and extreme conditions. Russia continues to invest in its infrastructure alongside partners including China and India," he said.
The reception, held in a conference room inside the embassy to mark Russia’s Diplomatic Worker’s Day, took the form of a small tea gathering and lasted more than two hours.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN JEE-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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