Victory banner raised at Russian embassy in Seoul ahead of war anniversary

South Korea has asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to remove a 15-metre banner bearing the slogan ‘Victory will be ours’. The banner was hung ahead of the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. The South Korean Foreign Ministry said it had conveyed its concerns to the Russian side but did not specify whether a response had been received.

The banner – in the colours of the Russian flag and featuring Russian lettering – was displayed on the outer wall of the embassy in central Seoul and remained in place on Monday. In a statement, the ministry reiterated that it regards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as illegal.

Seoul also criticised military co-operation between Russia and North Korea, describing it as a serious threat to its security and a violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. According to media reports, Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev praised the role of North Korean soldiers in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.

Under a mutual defence agreement signed in 2024, North Korea sent around 14,000 soldiers to support Russia. More than 6,000 of them have been killed, according to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western sources.

(reuters, max)