On September 19 (Friday), the Institute of Russian Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), led by Director Choi Woo-Ik, co-hosted an international academic conference with the Eurasia Policy Research Institute (President Seo Dong-Ju) and the RIO Institute (Representative Lee Dae-Sik). The event took place at the Minerva Complex International Conference Hall of HUFS to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Korea-Russia diplomatic relations and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The conference opened with welcoming remarks by Director Choi Woo-Ik, followed by addresses from Kim Chun-Sik, Vice President of HUFS; Lee In-Young, Member of the National Assembly; Seo Dong-Ju, President of the Eurasia Policy Research Institute; Lee Dae-Sik, Representative of the RIO Institute; and a keynote speech by Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Korea.

Under the theme “Korea-Russia Relations: Past, Present, and Future,” the conference sought to examine the evolution of bilateral ties from the historical context of the end of World War II to the present, with a forward-looking perspective on the development of Korea-Russia cooperation.

The first session, organized by the Institute of Russian Studies, featured the following presentations:

Hwang Sung-Woo, “Russia’s Path: From Anti-Western Discourse to National Civilization Narrative”;

Kim Hyun-Jin, “Withdrawal and Reentry Possibilities of Korean Companies in Postwar Russia”;

Kim Sun-Rae, “Conflict and Cooperation between Russia and Georgia: Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Perceptions.”
The panel explored Russia’s strategic trajectory in the 21st-century international order from multiple perspectives.

During the roundtable discussion on “Post-Ukraine War Prospects for Korea-Russia Cooperation,” participants including columnist Lim Myung-Mook, Choi Soo-Beom (Korea Arctic Route Association), Choi Young-In (CEO of K-MASH), and Ko Joo-Young (HUFS) discussed cooperation in fields such as Eurasian geopolitics, energy, space, and Arctic development.

The third session, organized by the Eurasia Policy Research Institute, focused on the theme “35 Years of Korea-Russia Relations: Assessment and Future Tasks.” Presentations included:

Kwak Sung-Woong (Paichai University), “Evaluation and Challenges in the Political and Diplomatic Sphere”;

Jung Sun-Mi (HUFS), “Evaluation and Challenges in the Economic Sphere”;

Song Jung-Soo (Chung-Ang University), “Evaluation and Challenges in the Socio-Cultural Sphere.”

The final session, featuring international scholars, included:

Ryu Han-Soo (Sangmyung University), “A Colossus with Feet of Clay or a Red Steamroller? Myths and Realities of the Red Army during World War II”;

Sabitov Zhaxylyk M. (L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University), “Perceptions of the Great Patriotic War in Contemporary Kazakhstan”;

Kirill Barsky (MGIMO University), “Complementary Military and Diplomatic Strategies as Decisive Factors in the Soviet Victory over Germany and Japan.”

Ambassador Zinoviev and Professor Barsky argued that, contrary to the conventional Western narrative, the atomic bombings of Japan held limited military significance in ending the Pacific War. Instead, they emphasized that the Soviet Army’s Manchurian offensive against Japan’s Kwantung Army played the decisive role in prompting Japan’s surrender.

Ambassador Zinoviev highlighted the Soviet Union’s critical contribution during World War II, stating that the USSR bore the brunt of Nazi Germany’s major assaults, played a key role in defeating fascism, and suffered immense casualties across multiple fronts, including in battles against the Kwantung Army and on the Korean Peninsula. He also noted that the Soviet offensive dismantled Japan’s key military and logistical bases, crippling its ability to continue the war.

One of the lesser-known but significant contributions mentioned in Ambassador Zinoviev’s keynote was the Soviet Army’s suppression of Japan’s biological weapons research facilities in Manchuria, which halted their ongoing development of weapons of mass destruction.

Professor Ryu Han-Soo attributed Korea’s long-standing underestimation of the Soviet role in the Far East during the late stages of World War II to factors such as Russophobia, the pro-German sentiments of Imperial Japan transmitted during the colonial period, anti-communist ideology after the Korean War, and limited interest in military history within South Korea.

In his congratulatory address, Representative Lee In-Young acknowledged that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has posed serious challenges to bilateral relations, yet emphasized the need for postwar economic restoration and expanded cooperation between the two nations in Arctic route development, northern logistics, energy, and science and technology.

Director Choi Woo-Ik concluded that amid the rapidly changing geopolitical environment of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, it is essential to draw lessons from the past, analyze the present with clarity, and design a better future through collective wisdom. He noted that this conference was particularly meaningful for providing an academic platform where Korean and Russian experts could engage in dialogue aimed at reassessing World War II and revitalizing Korea-Russia relations in the current diplomatic stalemate.