Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on March 23 arrives at Incheon International Airport. (Yonhap News)

By Sarah Oqelee and Yoon Hee Young

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on March 24 started his official schedule for his official visit to Korea.

Arriving from Beijing on March 23, he attended in the afternoon the opening ceremony for the "Korea-Russia Year of Cultural Exchanges" to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties at a Seoul hotel.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong was one of 50 guests from the two countries attending the ceremony, which featured congratulatory messages from both foreign ministers, a sculpture lighting event and a joint jazz performance.

On the morning of March 25, the Russian official will hold bilateral talks with Minister Chung on bilateral relations and pending issues on the Korean Peninsula and the world at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Government Complex-Seoul.

This is Minister Lavrov's first trip to Korea since November 2013, when he accompanied Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit.

Minister Lavrov will fly home in the afternoon of March 25.

sarahoqelee@korea.kr