President Lee: Opening up the Arctic shipping route and managing relations with Russia are also important

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung stressed the need for cooperation with Russia to open up the Arctic shipping route on the 13th, saying, “Managing relations with Russia is also important.”
At the 44th Cabinet meeting held that day at the main building of Cheong Wa Dae, Lee received a report on progress toward launching trial operations on the Arctic shipping route and said, “Perhaps the biggest challenge in opening up the Arctic route is cooperation with Russia, wouldn’t you say?”
He went on to ask, “Actually, from the outset this time, there was quite a bit of debate over whether this would violate the sanctions against Russia, and so on. Were there no major obstacles to cooperation with Russia?” Nam Jae-heon, Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, explained that the vessel operated without using icebreaker services from companies subject to sanctions, so as not to be directly implicated in sanctions against Russia.
Lee said, “If Russia is uncooperative, it would be difficult even apart from the sanctions,” adding, “Outside the scope of the sanctions, this is only possible with Russia’s cooperation.”
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reported, “Russia has maintained a cooperative stance,” adding, “Contrary to what we had feared, Russia is being cooperative.” He explained, however, that relations needed to be managed with consideration for the situation in Ukraine, European countries’ responses, and relations with the United States.
Lee responded, “Managing relations with Russia is also important,” and stressed, “International relations change constantly, and in the course of pursuing our national interests, various controversies and difficulties arise. But ultimately, what remains is the Republic of Korea and our people.”
On the Arctic shipping route, he said, “The distance to Europe is reduced to two-thirds. Costs are greatly reduced, and the period during which the route can be navigated keeps getting longer, doesn’t it?” He added, “As the situation in the Middle East worsens, it is becoming increasingly difficult to use the Suez Canal.”
Lee asked Foreign Minister Cho, “You engage in diplomacy even during wartime, just as people hold hands and talk even in the middle of a war, don’t you?” When Cho said yes, Lee asked again, “You engage in diplomacy with enemy countries too, as a matter of course, don’t you?” He then said, “That is the principle of diplomacy. There are no eternal enemies or eternal allies.”
[email protected] Seong Seok-woo Reporter