By Yoon Sojung
Photos = Yonhap News

President Moon Jae-in reemphasized the importance of developing the Russian Far East by expanding cooperation between Seoul and Moscow on Sept. 7.

President Moon was giving the keynote address in the plenary session of the third Eastern Economic Forum, held at the Far Eastern University in Vladivostok, Russia.

Dubbing the sectors of cooperation between Korea and Russia as the “nine bridges,” President Moon said that Russia’s New East Asia Policy and Korea’s New Northern Policy are connected. He emphasized that the Russian Far East is still a land full of potential and attraction that will lead Northeast Asia toward co-prosperity.

Calling the nine bridges the “royal road to the future,” President Moon proposed that both Korea and Russia work together in the sectors of natural gas, railroads, shipping ports, electric power, agriculture and fisheries. He said that the world’s first ice-breaking LNG carrier, built by Korea after receiving an order from Russia, and its first LNG-fueled oil tanker are good examples of Korea-Russia bilateral economic cooperation.

President Moon said, “It's important to work on large projects, but being successful in more likely, short-term projects will help build deeper trust among companies in both countries,” while highlighting the importance of cooperation on various areas in a substantial manner.

He said that Korean small- and medium-sized firms that have experience and competitiveness are preparing to enter into business in the Russian Far East.

President Moon said that Korea and Russia will be able to create a new future in Northeast Asia, echoing the theme of the third Eastern Economic Forum. He called the Russian Far East “a platform for dynamic cooperation that will lead the era of the Pacific Rim.”

In order to make the Russian Far East play its role properly as a “platform,” President Moon reminded the world leaders present that North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile provocations should be solved.

He said that the North Korean nuclear weapons issue is a threat to peace in Northeast Asia, as well as on the Korean Peninsula, which Russia must help solve in order to pursue development in the Russian Far East.



Pointing to development in the Russian Far East as one of the fundamental ways to solve the North Korean nuclear weapons issue, President Moon said, “If the North sees Northeast Asian countries successfully conducting economic cooperation, it will realize that participation in the development of the Russian Far East would be beneficial to it.”

“Although it will be difficult at the moment to realize trilateral cooperation between both Koreas and Russia, Seoul and Moscow should work together to begin possible cooperation projects,” he said.

The president also said that he invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

He said, “President Putin’s Korea visit will naturally restore the annual summit between Korea and Russia.”

“As both have been or will be host countries to the Winter Olympics, I believe it will bring a precious opportunity to send a message of peace and hope to the whole world,” he said.

arete@korea.kr