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Seoul might make 'reciprocal gesture' in response to Putin's words — expert

Director of the Institute for Eurasian Strategic Studies Park Byung-hwan believes that there was nothing fundamentally new about the Russian president's words concerning relations with the Republic of Korea

SEOUL, June 6. /TASS/. The Republic of Korea might resume direct air links with Russia as a goodwill response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's words on bilateral cooperation, thus letting travelers and businessmen save time and money, Park Byung-hwan, the director of the Institute for Eurasian Strategic Studies and former minister counselor at the embassy of the Republic of Korea in Russia, has told TASS.

"In terms of economic exchanges, the sad thing is that although the government of the Republic of Korea has not officially imposed [such] sanctions, the resumption of direct air links between the countries has been postponed. If the government of the Republic of Korea changed its position, it would send Russia a small but significant signal, let alone help people traveling between our countries save time and money," the expert said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with heads of international news agencies organized by TASS that Moscow appreciates the refusal of the Republic of Korea to provide direct arms supplies to Ukraine. South Korean media interpreted these words as a "conciliatory gesture" and as "an olive branch extended to South Korea."

At the same time, Park believes that there was nothing fundamentally new about the Russian president's words concerning relations with the Republic of Korea. According to him, the idea that Seoul should refrain from direct arms supplies to Ukraine and that bilateral cooperation had been seriously affected by the measures of the Republic of Korea were already voiced earlier. Just as the fact that restoring relations depended on the will of the South Korean side.

"At the moment, it does not seem that the Republic of Korea will change its mind [on arms supplies to Ukraine], so there was no reason for concern," the expert reasoned.
Park also drew attention to the prevailing Western influence in South Korea's information space and called on the Russian authorities to step up efforts in the field of public diplomacy by opening a Russian cultural center in Seoul.