The history of establishing and constructingthe Embassy of Russia to the Republic of Korea

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Korea were established in 1884 for the first time. Soon after that in the very middle of Seoul there was constructed grand building of Russian Empire diplomatic mission. Its disposition and outward appearance was evidence of a big role of Russia in Korea, prestige and influence, that Russian state had on Korean rulers of those times.

With the first Russian diplomatic mission there have been connected numerous glorious pages of history of the Russian - Korean ties, which were characterized at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century by the high level of mutual confidence and proximity. For illustration of this fact it would he enough to recollect such well known event as stay of King of Korea Kojon inside Russian mission for more than a year, when he had to seek for a shelter at Russian side.

After annexation of Korea by Japan the status of the Russian diplomatic mission was changed for consular one. General consulate of Russia and then USSR operated in Seoul till 1945.

During  Korean War 1950-1953 almost all buildings on the territory of the Russian diplomatic representation were destroyed. Only one tower escaped destruction, reminding till nowadays of the history of Russian presence in Korea. The former plot of the Russian mission was noted down to the official list of historical and cultural monuments of the Republic of Korea.

The new phase of the Russian - Korean relations began on the 30th of September 1990 - the day of concluding the Agreement on establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. At once after that  the sides began negotiating process aimed at regulating the question of Russian property in Seoul, which was nationalized by the Korean government in 1970.

As a result of negotiations, there were concluded two intergovernmental Agreements, according to which the government of ROK bound itself to allot financial resources for constructing new Russian Embassy on the spot close to the old mission as a compensation for nationalization of former Russian property.