SEOUL, March 24. /TASS/. South Korea and Russia managed to become good friends and partners in the three decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui Yong said Wednesday at the ceremony of opening of the cross-year of the two countries.

According to the Foreign Minister, since 1990, trade volume increased from $190 million to $22 billion, while humanitarian contacts increased from 30,000 to 800,000 people.

"These are not mere numbers. They indicate that, in this period, we have become truly good friends and partners," the top diplomat said, adding that the two countries have been talking about a free trade agreement since 2019, adding that this agreement will increase the bilateral trade even more.

The Minister reminded that the cross-year’s official slogan is "To be friends. To trust. To act."

"These slogans reflect the direction that Seoul and Moscow aims at," Chung Eui Yong said.

He noted that, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the two states were able to organize a lot of events, dedicated to the anniversary of diplomatic relations. In particular, in many cases, it was possible to switch to a remote format, which allowed many citizens of both countries to participate.

The top diplomat noted that Russia plays an important role in settlement of the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear problem.

"We have been treading along the path of establishment of lasting peace in the region. We hope for further support and cooperation from Moscow," the Foreign Minister underscored.