Eighteen years have passed since South Korea established diplomatic ties with Russia. The two countries have so far focused mainly on economic cooperation. Monday's summit between President Lee Myung-bak and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow has paved the way for further expanding bilateral collaboration in energy and other fields. The two leaders have agreed to upgrade Seoul-Moscow relations to a ``strategic'' partnership from the present ``comprehensive'' one.
One of the tangible results for the summit is an agreement to have Russian natural gas piped to South Korea via North Korea starting in 2015. The Russian side is to send at least 7.5 million tons of natural gas annually for 30 years by way of a pipeline running from Vladivostok in the Russian Far East to the Korean Peninsula. For this, Korea Gas Corp. and Russia's Gazprom have decided to soon start a joint study on the construction of the proposed pipeline.
The project carries significant meaning as President Lee has stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to secure a stable supply of energy since his February inauguration. It represents Lee's first step toward his much-avowed ``energy diplomacy.'' Ninety-seven percent of the country's energy supply comes from foreign imports. Thus, the government has no other choice but to step up its diplomacy to bring in oil, gas and other fuels at reasonable prices and without a hitch.
If the pipeline project is translated into reality, South Korean can import 20 percent of its annual natural gas supply from Russia. However, the two sides have some obstacles to overcome because the pipeline must pass through North Korea. Seoul and Moscow should not neglect their joint efforts to persuade the reclusive communist country to participate in the project so that it can benefit from transnational cooperation.
Furthermore, the project can lay the groundwork for triangular cooperation by combining South Korea's technology and capital with Russia's natural resources and North Korea's cheap labor. What's important is that the two Koreas should mend their strained ties to move toward reconciliation, peace and prosperity. For this, it is urgent for Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs. In this context, it is necessary for South Korea and Russia to work together more closely to prod the North to faithfully implement its denuclearization commitments.
In addition, Lee and Medvedev also discussed ways of linking railways between the two countries through North Korea. The two sides are required to take necessary steps to open a ``New Silk Road'' era by connecting a trans-Korean railroad with Russia's trans-Siberian railway (TSR). Such a rail link is pivotal to expanding trade, co-exploring for oil and gas in Russia, and promoting economic and human exchanges between the two countries. It's time for Seoul and Moscow to sincerely put the summit agreement into action to forge future-oriented partnership.
It is also meaningful that Lee has smoothly concluded the first round of his summitry with the Big Four powers ― the United States, Japan, China and Russia ― in about seven months of his presidency. We hope his slogan of pragmatic diplomacy will bear fruits to ensure national security, peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.