Russian Embassy defies Korean government’s removal request amid recent friction between Seoul and Moscow

The Russian Embassy in Seoul’s banner on its exterior wall reading “Victory will be ours” has raised eyebrows. It remains in place despite a South Korean government request to remove it, adding strain to already tense ties between Seoul and Moscow.

The banner’s appearance coincides with Russia’s Defender of the Fatherland Day — a holiday honoring the armed forces — on Monday and the fourth anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.

Koreans voiced discomfort over the banner, as the Korean government has regarded Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as illegal and shown deep concerns over increasing military ties between Russia and North Korea.

“It’s very rude and should be taken down immediately,” said Ha Jun-soo, a 26-year-old university student. “The Russian Embassy’s inaction despite the South Korean government’s response is deeply offensive.”

Ha added that South Korea’s defensive foreign policy may have emboldened Russia and that the incident should prompt a more assertive stance.

Kim Ho-nyeon, a 40-year-old office worker, said the government was right to protest but urged patience, noting the embassy may need time to report to Moscow and follow procedures.

“We should wait two or three days. If it’s still up, we should keep demanding its removal,” Kim said.

A banner reading “Victory will be ours” in Russian hangs on the exterior wall of the Russian Embassy in Korea in Jung District, central Seoul, as a Russian flag flies outside the building, Sunday. Yonhap

The controversy came amid rising tensions between Seoul and Moscow over South Korea’s potential cooperation with NATO and recent remarks by Russia’s ambassador to Seoul praising North Korean troops.

On Saturday, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported that its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned Moscow would “use its right to retaliate, including asymmetric measures,” if Seoul joins NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program.

PURL allows NATO to pool funds to buy U.S.-made weapons and deliver them to Ukraine. Last week, the South Korean government said it was reviewing potential participation.

Separately, Russian Ambassador to Seoul Georgy Zinoviev sparked criticism this month after telling South Korean reporters he would not forget the “greatness” of North Korean troops who joined the war in Ukraine to help Russia.

An official at Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that Seoul had conveyed its position to Russia over the embassy’s banner and the ambassador’s remarks. The ministry warned that the banner could raise unnecessary diplomatic tensions and requested its removal, but it remained in place as of Monday.

“The government has consistently said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is illegal, and that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia violates the U.N. Charter and Security Council resolutions and must stop as a serious threat to our security,” the official said.

The Russian Embassy said Monday that installing banners and other materials on embassy grounds is common practice.

The embassy added that the banner was put up to mark Diplomatic Worker’s Day and Defender of the Fatherland Day in February and would be removed after the commemorations conclude.

“The phrase on the banner is familiar to all Russian citizens and is tied to many glorious chapters in Russia’s history, including the Soviet mobilization for victory over fascist Germany,” the embassy said in a social media post. “The display strengthens patriotic solidarity among Russians and, in its view, harms no one’s feelings in historical context.”

Experts say the South Korean government may find it difficult to respond forcefully, suggesting Russia may have sought to draw Seoul’s attention.

“All embassies have extraterritorial status, leaving the South Korean government with limited legal grounds to compel action,” said Doo Jin-ho, director of the Eurasia Research Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

Doo said that similar banners and related events were held last year, describing the practice as a long-standing tradition that may appear more pronounced this year. He added that such displays can be seen in other countries to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, though the tone may vary, and that Moscow likely weighed carefully which democratic nations to target.

“There may be an intent to draw attention and sway Korea’s stance. As Seoul seeks to improve inter-Korean relations and Russia remains a major power capable of playing a role, that may have given Moscow the confidence to display the banner so prominently to capture Seoul’s attention,” Doo said.

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