By Kang Hyun-kyung
Russian Ambassador to Korea Konstantin Vnukov called on the Korean government to act on a set of agreements it signed with his government during summit talks last year.
Speaking at a Day of Russia reception at his residence in Seoul on Wednesday, Vnukov said that the two sides are now facing a call to fulfill the agreements President Park Geun-hye signed with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
"(The agreements) include the trilateral economic project with the participation of North Korea," he said. "We expect to see active response from our South Korean friends, some of whom are here."
He was referring to several senior officials attending the reception.
In November, President Park and Russian leader Putin signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure that Korean companies can participate in the Rajin-Hassan logistics project.
During the talks, the two leaders also agreed to encourage Korean companies to invest in Russia, and tourists of both countries will be able travel to the other country for 60 days without a visa.
Ambassador Vnukov stressed that the visa-waiver program is the first of its kind Russia has signed with a country in East Asia.
Citing President Park's Eurasia Initiative and other peace projects on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia, the Russian envoy argued that these projects will require "direct and active interaction with Moscow" to make them happen.
After the Russian ambassador's speech, National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa, who also joined the reception to commemorate the Day of Russia, took the podium.
Chung asked Russia to pay extra attention to the descendants of ethnic Koreans there.
Russian Ambassador to Korea Konstantin Vnukov called on the Korean government to act on a set of agreements it signed with his government during summit talks last year.
Speaking at a Day of Russia reception at his residence in Seoul on Wednesday, Vnukov said that the two sides are now facing a call to fulfill the agreements President Park Geun-hye signed with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
"(The agreements) include the trilateral economic project with the participation of North Korea," he said. "We expect to see active response from our South Korean friends, some of whom are here."
He was referring to several senior officials attending the reception.
In November, President Park and Russian leader Putin signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure that Korean companies can participate in the Rajin-Hassan logistics project.
During the talks, the two leaders also agreed to encourage Korean companies to invest in Russia, and tourists of both countries will be able travel to the other country for 60 days without a visa.
Ambassador Vnukov stressed that the visa-waiver program is the first of its kind Russia has signed with a country in East Asia.
Citing President Park's Eurasia Initiative and other peace projects on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia, the Russian envoy argued that these projects will require "direct and active interaction with Moscow" to make them happen.
After the Russian ambassador's speech, National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa, who also joined the reception to commemorate the Day of Russia, took the podium.
Chung asked Russia to pay extra attention to the descendants of ethnic Koreans there.
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