Politics South Korea protests against war slogan on Russian embassy
In the run-up to the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the Russian embassy in Seoul has hung a banner with the controversial slogan "Victory will be ours" on its façade - thereby incurring the displeasure of the South Korean government. The South Korean Foreign Ministry raised concerns with the embassy and called on it to remove the huge lettering, as South Korea's official news agency Yonhap reported on Sunday. On Monday afternoon (local time), however, the banner was still clearly visible on the outside wall of the country's embassy.
23.02.2026, 08:52
23.02.2026, 08:53
SDA
The slogan "Victory will be ours" is omnipresent in public life in Russia - especially on the traditionally celebrated and non-working Defender of the Fatherland Day on February 23. This Tuesday marks the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
The slogan, which is highly significant for Russia, was proclaimed by Moscow on June 22, 1941 - at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union during the Second World War. The slogan is still used today as a Russian battle cry in the war against Ukraine.
Criticism of Russia's military cooperation with North Korea
Like many other countries, South Korea considers Russia's war of aggression against its neighboring country to be in violation of international law and supports some of the international sanctions against Moscow. In particular, the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea has caused great concern in South Korea about its own national security.
According to estimates by the South Korean intelligence service NIS, North Korea has not only supplied artillery and ammunition to Russia on a large scale, but has also sent around 15,000 soldiers to support the Russian army against the Ukrainian defenders. Experts assume that North Korea is receiving economic support and military equipment from Russia in return.
South Korea and North Korea are still formally at war after the Korean War (1950-53) only ended with an armistice. A peace treaty has not yet been signed.
