June 29–30, 2026, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, together with a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of Ukrainian business, paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea. This is the first visit of a Ukrainian Foreign Minister to Seoul in the last 11 years, marking an important step in the development of bilateral relations.
During the talks, the parties discussed three key areas of cooperation — economy, security, and political dialogue. Particular attention was paid to the prospects of South Korean companies’ participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine, infrastructure development, energy, logistics, innovative technologies, and industry.
Today, the Republic of Korea is one of the world’s technological leaders and ranks among the top fifteen largest economies in the world. South Korean business is already implementing individual projects in Ukraine. Following the negotiations, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in the further development of the partnership. For Ukraine, this means not only the opportunity to attract investment but also the expansion of cooperation in the field of modern technologies, innovations, and new formats of economic partnership.
The visit also had an important security dimension. Ukraine and the Republic of Korea are increasingly facing shared challenges related to the deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK. According to official information from the Ukrainian side, security issues, the situation on the battlefield, and the involvement of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine were discussed during the talks.
The Ukrainian delegation’s trip to the Demilitarized Zone, which has divided the Korean Peninsula for over 70 years, became symbolic. After the Korean War of 1950–1953, no peace treaty was ever signed between the North and the South — only an armistice regime remains in effect to this day. For many Korean families, this means decades of separation, and for the region, constant security risks.
The experience of the Republic of Korea serves as a reminder that a durable and lasting peace is not just about ceasing hostilities, but about creating reliable security mechanisms that prevent an armed conflict from recurring.
In his Facebook post summarizing the visit, Andrii Sybiha noted:
“Like the Republic of Korea, Ukraine needs reliable, lasting security tools to prevent any aggression in the future. A strong army, a strong defense industry are the keys to deterrence and one’s own lasting security. And this is exactly what we are working on.”
He also emphasized that Ukraine needs a lasting and just peace based on the UN Charter.
The Minister informed that Ukraine is working on organizing a meeting between the Presidents of Ukraine and the Republic of Korea, which could be the next step in the development of bilateral relations.
A separate element of the program was a meeting with the Ukrainian community in Seoul. The discussion covered the prospects of Ukrainian-Korean cooperation, business participation in future projects, and the role of Ukrainians abroad in strengthening ties between the two countries.
Today, Ukraine and South Korea are located in different regions of the world, but they are increasingly speaking about shared challenges and a common future. For Ukrainian business, this opens up prospects for new partnerships, investments, and technological cooperation. And for both states, it provides an opportunity to build relations based not only on support during difficult times but also on long-term economic partnership, mutual trust, and a shared pursuit of a lasting peace.
In preparing this article, information from the official Facebook pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha was used.
Photo source: official Facebook page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (repost of the post by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha).
Author: Maria Zakharchenko
Photo: from the author’s archive