SEOUL, December 5. /TASS/. The Republic of Korea maintains communication with Russia on an as-needed basis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to a request to comment on the Russian president’s statement regarding bilateral relations.

"Our government maintains necessary communication with the Russian side for the sake of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as for the protection of our citizens and companies on the territory of Russia," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea said.

At the ceremony of accepting credentials from new ambassadors of foreign states, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that bringing cooperation between Russia and South Korea back to a mutually beneficial trajectory depends on Seoul, as Moscow is open to this. Putin noted that relations between Russia and the Republic of Korea have seen better days.

After the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Republic of Korea imposed sanctions against Russia. Seoul provides humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine and supplies non-lethal military items, such as helmets, first-aid kits, and mine detectors.