Russia’s Priorities and Approaches to Issues Regarding the Korean Peninsula

Korean Journal of Defense Analysis. 2022. Vol. 34. No. 1. P. 81–99.

Lukin A., Pugacheva O.

Traditionally, the Korean Peninsula has occupied an important place in Russia’s
foreign policy strategy, due both to its geographical proximity to Russia’s Far
Eastern borders and to its geopolitical role. The circumstances on the Korean
Peninsula have a direct influence on the security of Russia’s Far East and North–
East Asia (NEA) as a whole, making the Peninsula naturally one of Russia’s foreign
policy priorities. Officially and unofficially, Russia has two underlying interests
in the Korean Peninsula, as stated repeatedly by Russian officials. Firstly, Russia
has no interest in seeing weapons of mass destruction appear anywhere in the
world, least of all on its borders. Consequently, Russia has consistently taken the
position that international nuclear non-proliferation should be preserved, including
preventing the nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Secondly, Russia is worried
about an outbreak of hostilities in Korea. There are reasons for this. Such a war
would be a genuine catastrophe near Russia’s borders, replete with radioactive
contamination of the area and movement of refugees to the Russian Far East, and it
would complicate severely the implementation of Russia’s development strategy for
its Far Eastern regions. Consequently, Moscow is, instead, interested in maintaining
peace, stability and an atmosphere of cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and
in NEA, which would provide an environment conducive to developing Russia’s
economy. Russia is interested more than anyone else in maintaining peace and
stability on the Korean Peninsula, and resolving the problems of the Peninsula,
including the nuclear issue, by exclusively peaceful political and diplomatic means,
whilst respecting the sovereignty and interests of all states involved.

Keywords: Russia, South Korea, DPRK, denuclearization