Putin to meet with new South Korean president’s envoy on Wednesday - Kremlin

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss with South Korean president’s envoy Song Young-gil the preparations for a visit of South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Russia, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Yes," Peskov said when asked if this meeting is due to take place. Song Young-gil has confirmed that tomorrow he will meet with Putin and "discuss in detail a possible visit of the president." The envoy plans to convey to Putin thanks from the new South Korean leader for greetings on his election. The diplomat also expects to discuss issues of energy cooperation. "We may speak about details (of energy cooperation)," he said on Tuesday after a meeting with Deputy Speaker of the Russian parliament’s upper house Ilyas Umakhanov. On Monday, KBS TV channel reported that during his visit to Moscow Song Young-gil plans to convey a personal message of the South Korean president that contains a range of issues on bilateral cooperation, including the supplies of natural gas. Besides, the South Korean side hopes to discuss North Korea’s nuclear issue. Song Young-gil, the former mayor of Incheon, in northwestern South Korea, is a lawmaker of the Democratic Party, who has good ties with Moscow, according to the report. He had initiated the handover to Russia of a flag from the Varyag cruiser, which sank in 1904 during the battle against the Japanese Fleet. Although the flag remained in the museum of Incheon, the move came under the media spotlight and contributed to the rapprochement of the two countries. In 2010, Song Young-gil was awarded Russia’s Order of Friendship. South Korean’s leader Moon Jae-in, who assumed office on May 10, has announced plans to send his special envoys to Russia, the United States, China and Japan to coordinate bilateral cooperation. Read more