South Korea, Russia seek to boost ties

Top diplomats of South Korea and Russia met in Moscow this week as the countries seek to expand their ties in a key anniversary year, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong and his Russian counterpart, First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov, met Monday to discuss their countries' ties as they mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, the ministry said in a press release.

Cho thanked Titov for Russia's cooperation on the Eurasia Express project, which he said served as a good opportunity to boost people-to-people exchanges and deepen the two nations' friendship.

Under the Seoul-led project, two trains have been on a 14,400 kilometer journey across the Eurasian continent, after participants flew from Seoul to their respective departure points in Vladivostok, Russia, and Beijing, to promote closer regional ties.

Those who took the train from Beijing boarded the other train in Irkutsk, Russia. Cho attended a welcoming ceremony for them in Moscow on Sunday.

The train is due to arrive in Berlin on Thursday.

During their talks, Cho and Titov also discussed ways to expand cooperation in practical areas and reaffirmed their countries' opposition to North Korea's nuclear weapons development, the ministry said.