Song Young-gil’s comeback renews scrutiny of his North Korea and Russia views



Profiles Song Young-gil’s comeback renews scrutiny of his North Korea and Russia views An ex-Incheon mayor and party chief, Song has defended engagement with Moscow while sharply criticizing Zelensky John LeeOctober 9, 2026 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Russian leader Vladimir Putin awards the Order of Friendship to then-Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil, Feb. 8, 2013 \| Image: Kremlin President Lee Jae Myung’s decision to appoint Song Young-gil as his special adviser for peace diplomacy has brought a longtime advocate of closer relations with Russia and North Korea back into South Korea’s foreign policy establishment, even as Seoul’s confrontation with Ukraine intensifies. The six-term lawmaker has quickly made his views known. In an Oct. 2 radio interview, Song defended Lee’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the disputed disclosure of a North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) transfer, called for an apology from Kyiv and raised the possibility of recalling South Korea’s ambassador. The Foreign Ministry announced © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Trump’s Alaska LNG claim shows who really runs the US-South Korea alliance 02South Korea’s missile defense push raises new questions over wartime stocks 03South Korea bank hacks expose weak links beyond core financial systems 04Lee-Zelensky feud exposes South Korea’s widening Ukraine policy dilemma 05Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 06Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls 07North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy 08South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus

Profiles

Song Young-gil’s comeback renews scrutiny of his North Korea and Russia views

An ex-Incheon mayor and party chief, Song has defended engagement with Moscow while sharply criticizing Zelensky

John LeeOctober 9, 2026

Song Young-gil’s comeback renews scrutiny of his North Korea and Russia views

Russian leader Vladimir Putin awards the Order of Friendship to then-Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil, Feb. 8, 2013 | Image: Kremlin

President Lee Jae Myung’s decision to appoint Song Young-gil as his special adviser for peace diplomacy has brought a longtime advocate of closer relations with Russia and North Korea back into South Korea’s foreign policy establishment, even as Seoul’s confrontation with Ukraine intensifies.

The six-term lawmaker has quickly made his views known. In an Oct. 2 radio interview, Song defended Lee’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the disputed disclosure of a North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) transfer, called for an apology from Kyiv and raised the possibility of recalling South Korea’s ambassador.

The Foreign Ministry announced

Song Young-gil’s comeback renews scrutiny of his North Korea and Russia views

LATEST ANALYSIS

Similar Articles

About the Author

John Lee