South Korea and Russia held a ceremony to mark 30 years of diplomatic ties. 

The opening ceremony for the Year of Mutual Exchange between South Korea and Russia was held at a hotel in Seoul on Wednesday with foreign ministers of the two countries attending. 

Signing their formal ties on September 30 of 1990, the two countries initially planned to mark the occasion last year and hold various cultural events. However, due to the protracted COVID-19 pandemic, the declaration was postponed along with many of the events. 

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said in his opening address that the two countries achieved substantial results through exchange and cooperation and declared that it is time for them to work together to further advance the friendly and cooperative relationship. 

Chung also emphasized Russia’s role for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and called for continuous support and cooperation on the matter from Russia's  government and its people. 

 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who arrived in Seoul late on Tuesday, also stressed Moscow’s friendly ties with Seoul based on mutual interests and held in high esteem the consistent political dialogue between the two countries.