South Korea’s relationship with Russia, both diplomatically and economically, has reached its lowest point since the Cold War. Under President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul aligned closely with Western-led sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, further exacerbating tensions as Moscow deepened military cooperation with North Korea.

However, two major geopolitical shifts are poised to reshape South Korea’s foreign policy: Yoon’s anticipated removal from office followed by main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung’s likely ascent to the presidency, and the evolving trajectory of the Ukraine war under the Donald Trump administration.