Concerns Arctic Route Could Violate Sanctions Against Russia... Lee: "We Will Strictly Abide by International Norms"

President Lee at ceremony welcoming trial voyage on Arctic shipping route

Panstar Arco returns after departing in August

Allies concerned Arctic route could bring South Korea and Russia closer

Lee: "We will responsibly address concern

President Lee Jae-myung said on the 13th, “We will open the Arctic route with the international community’s trust,” adding, “We will strictly uphold international norms and the international community’s principles on sanctions.”

President Lee made the remarks at a welcoming ceremony for the Arctic route’s pilot voyage in Busan that day. “We will communicate fully with our key partner countries and responsibly address concerns related to the voyage,” he said. “We will work to ensure that this new route does not serve the exclusive interests of any particular country, but instead contributes to the shared prosperity of humanity.”

President Lee Jaemyung delivers congratulatory remarks at a welcoming ceremony for the Arctic route's pilot voyage in Busan on the 13th. 2026.10.13 Yonhap News Agency

President Lee’s remarks appear aimed at dispelling concerns among Western allies that South Korea’s development of the Arctic route could undermine sanctions against Russia. Receiving icebreaker assistance to use the route would constitute a violation of sanctions against Russia. Even without an icebreaker, the route passes through Russia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), requiring the cooperation of Russian authorities.

The South Korean container ship Panstar Akron, which set out on the Arctic route’s pilot voyage that day, had also been embroiled in controversy over an alleged violation of sanctions against Russia. Some Western allies expressed concern that cooperation between South Korea and Russia could deepen as South Korea sought Russian authorization to navigate the route. In response, President Lee said, “This time, too, we strictly upheld the principles on sanctions.”

Earlier that day, President Lee also said at a Cabinet meeting, “It is important to manage relations with Russia,” describing the Arctic route as “a key priority of great importance to our national interests.” He added, “Just as people join hands and talk even during a war, we conduct diplomacy even with enemy states. There are no eternal enemies or allies.”

The welcoming ceremony was held to celebrate the return of the Panstar Akron, which departed on August 22 to undertake the Arctic route’s pilot voyage. President Lee said, “This voyage was a meaningful challenge that confirmed the potential of the Arctic route through the actual transportation of cargo. A journey from Busan to the United Kingdom via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal on the existing route takes nearly a month, but this time, the ship reached its destination in just 20 days via the Arctic Ocean.”

President Lee continued, “We also gained experience navigating the Arctic Ocean in summer without icebreaker assistance and responding to floating ice,” adding, “We identified challenges that still need to be addressed, including finding more demand for cargo requiring fast delivery and carrying cargo on return voyages after unloading in Europe.” In response to doubts about the route’s economic viability, he said, “As we gain more experience and consolidate cargo, we can reduce costs and improve the reliability of our services.”

President Lee also stressed, “We will build a foundation for sustainable maritime transport by accumulating operational experience,” and said, “We will steadily strengthen South Korea’s operational capabilities in areas including operating costs, safety, schedule reliability, and seafarers’ experience.” He pledged to work on providing information support and establishing a financial foundation so that a range of shipping companies, shippers, and logistics companies can participate.

President Lee also said, “We will expand investment in Arctic research and advance it across a range of areas, from eco-friendly ship technologies and the transition to low-carbon fuels to sea-ice forecasting, navigational support, and training specialists in polar regions.” He predicted, “Technologies that make navigation safer and reduce environmental burdens will become a new source of competitiveness for our shipbuilding and shipping industries.”

He said, “As a new sea route opens, we must also create a future for Busan and the southeastern region as they prepare for the era of the Arctic route,” pledging, “We will connect Busan’s ports, logistics and maritime finance; Ulsan’s shipbuilding and eco-friendly energy; and Gyeongnam’s shipbuilding equipment and advanced manufacturing.” He added, “We will ensure that companies grow in the region across areas including shipbuilding and repair, fuel supply, workforce training, finance, and insurance, and that this growth leads to good jobs.”

Meanwhile, President Lee said, “Yesterday marked the full-fledged start of HMM’s era in Busan,” and added, “I would like to express my gratitude once again to HMM’s labor and management and all its employees for making this meaningful and bold decision.”

He continued, “We will further strengthen the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries so that it can lead efforts to develop a ‘Southern Maritime Capital Region’ with greater force.” He said the ministry would be given “the authority and policy coordination capabilities commensurate with its new responsibilities as the agency in charge of the Arctic route and the development of the maritime capital region,” and that its ability to resolve problems on the ground would be enhanced.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.