South Korea asks Russian embassy to remove giant ‘victory’ banner as Ukraine war anniversary looms

South Korea has asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to remove a large banner that read “victory will be ours” ahead of the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Korean foreign ministry said it had asked Russian officials in the capital to take down the banner but did not mention if it had received a response.

Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a war against Ukraine on 22 February 2022, which will enter its fifth year on Tuesday. The ministry officials said they are seeking the removal of the banner in line with its position that Moscow’s war on Ukraine is illegal.

The massive 15-metre banner, in red, blue and white – the colours of the Russian flag – had the message displayed in Russian. It was seen hanging from the roof of the embassy’s outer wall in central Seoul and was visible even on Monday, after the ministry’s request.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine constitutes an illegal act… military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is a clear violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions, posing a serious threat to South Korea’s security and therefore must be halted,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it will “closely monitor further developments” around the embassy’s activities, including a pro-war rally, which is likely scheduled for Tuesday when the war enters its fifth year.

It also flagged the “public remarks” by Russian ambassador Georgy Zinoview earlier this month praising the North Korean soldiers for fighting against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.

The ministry called for an end to military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, describing it as a grave threat to South Korea's security and a violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions.

South Korea has consistently backed Ukraine’s sovereignty against Russian president Putin’s invasion and offered intelligence inputs on North Korean troops participating in the war.

The country has also joined US-led sanctions against Moscow and shipped humanitarian and financial support to Kyiv but has avoided directly supplying arms to Ukraine in line with its policy of not supplying weapons to countries actively engaged in conflicts.

However, Seoul is reportedly considering joining Nato’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative under which the allies can supply US arms to Kyiv.