A “Victory will be ours” banner was hung on the Russian Embassy in Seoul, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains on display despite a request from the South Korean Foreign Ministry on Sunday (22 February) for its removal, sparking widespread criticism.
It reads “Победа будет за нами” ("Victory will be ours") and has been displayed in Seoul’s Jung-gu district since Sunday.
The 15-metre banner, set against a Russian tricolour backdrop, was described by local media as reminiscent of Soviet-era slogans and has been widely used in Russia in recent times.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it had requested the embassy to remove the banner and expressed its concerns. The Ministry described Russia’s public display of its stance on what South Korea views as an illegal war violating the United Nations Charter as unacceptable.
The embassy has reportedly not responded.
Officials also warned that displaying such messages on the embassy building could inflame public sentiment and harm bilateral relations, noting that Ukraine also maintains a diplomatic mission in Seoul.
Tensions between Russia and South Korea had risen after Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev publicly praised North Korean troops’ role in the Ukraine war during a briefing with South Korean journalists on 11 February.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described both the banner and the ambassador’s remarks as “clearly excessive”.
The Ministry noted that while the Vienna Convention prevents forcible removal of embassy property, such actions could inflame public sentiment and strain relations, particularly with the Ukrainian Embassy also in Seoul.
Last year, the Russian Embassy held a pro-war rally on the third anniversary of the invasion, and authorities are reportedly planning a similar rally on 24 February.
Iran is setting conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including an end to the war, the lifting of the U.S. blockade and sanctions. At the ...
Mail sorting centres used by Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest private postal company, were destroyed&nbs...
Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89, bringing to an end a 35-year reign during which he beca...
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow earlier this week to warn Russia against attacking NATO, dismissing them as "scare stories," which had nothing to do with reality.
Rescuers in Nepal used helicopters on Thursday to scour for hundreds still missing after a wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border with China's Tibet, sending catastrophic floods through towns and valleys, killing 162 people.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told allied foreign ministers Washington will focus on sanctions and other pressure on Iran “for the time being”, Axios reports. Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have resumed talks on a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for greater economic cooperation among Muslim countries, saying their combined economic weight remains disproportionately small compared with their population, strategic location and resources.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 10 prisoners of war each in Belarus, Moscow's Human Rights Commissioner, Yana Lantratova, has said.
Mail sorting centres used by Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest private postal company, were destroyed in Russian strikes overnight, the firm said. Elsewhere, four people were injured after drones struck an apartment building in Sevastopol, Crimea, according to the Moscow-installed governor.
Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89, bringing to an end a 35-year reign during which he became one of the country’s most popular and enduring public figures.
South Korea, Japan and the U.S. are set to hold joint military drills from 9-11 September, to test their readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear threats, Seoul announced on Friday.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 28th of August, covering the latest developments.
Ukraine has stepped up its campaign of long-range drone strikes against Russia's energy infrastructure, targeting some of the country's largest oil refineries and processing facilities in what Kyiv says is an effort to reduce the revenues that help fund Moscow's military operations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment