List of ambassadors of Russia to South Korea
This is a List of Ambassadors from Russia to South Korea. The Russian Empire established relations with the Joseon Dynasty in 1884. However Korea was deprived of its right to conduct independent foreign policy by the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905, while the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the eventual successor to the Russian Empire) did not formally recognise Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in exile. In 1948, three years after the end of Japanese rule in Korea, the USSR recognised only one government on the Korean peninsula—the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly North Korea. In September 1990, towards the end of its existence, the USSR established relations with the Republic of Korea (commonly known as South Korea).
North Korea–Russia relations
Diplomatic relations between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK) and the Soviet Union (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR, the predecessor state to the Russian Federation) were first established on October 12, 1948 shortly after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was proclaimed. During the Korean War, the Korean People's Army was supported by the Soviet military forces. North Korea was founded as part of the Communist bloc, and received major Russian support. China and the Soviet Union competed for influence in North Korea during the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, as the North Korea tried to maintain good relations with both countries.