The first session was devoted to the discussion of relations within the triangle of Russia, the USA and China as the three most influential countries in the modern world. Stanislav Tkachenko, Professor in the Department of European Studies at St Petersburg University, made a presentation on the trilateral international relations. Seongjin Kim, Professor at the Duksung Women’s University, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Studies, devoted his report to the relations between Russia and the USA in the time of Joe Biden’s administration.

Then, there was a free discussion attended by prominent scientists and experts including Victoria Zhuravleva, Head of the Centre for North American Studies at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO); Ivan Timofeev, Director of Programmes of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Head of the Euro-Atlantic Security Institutes Programme at the Valdai Discussion Club; Aleksandr Zhebin, Head of the Centre for Korean Studies at the Institute of the Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Yoon Chan Young, Ex-Advisor — Envoy of the Republic of Korea to the Russian Federation; Jan Ki Ho, Manager of the Department for Global Networking at the Korea Foundation; Poung Te Ho, Chief Editor of the Diplomatic Journal at the Korea Diplomacy Association, Ex-Ambassador of South Korea to Croatia.

Heads of the working groups on Policy and International Relations on the Russian and Korean side Konstantin Khudoley, Professor of St Petersburg University, and Eom Gu Ho, Director of the Asia Pacific Research Centre at Hanyang University, acted as moderators.

We had a need to discuss the issues on a larger scale than those raised at the discussions of the working groups on Policy and International Relations and we agreed to discuss them. In particular, we talk not only about the issues of bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea and international relations in the North East Asia, but also global issues.

Konstantin Khudoley, Professor

‘Both Russian and Korean participants expressed various points of view and it is normal for a discussion club. That’s the way to hold a discussion. In my opinion, the session was a success. We expressed our opinion quite directly and it opened various aspects and angles of the issues under discussion.’

The participants of the meeting mentioned positive experience of discussing international relations. In the near future, the sides are planning to exchange opinions on improving organisational issues. The next session is planned for the second quarter of 2022.