Russian Embassy cancels external national holiday event in Seoul

▲ Hong Jeong-sik, head of Hwalbindan, a civic group, holds a picket sign reading "Stop Putin. Stop War" near the Russian Embassy in Seoul on Feb. 24, 2026. (Yonhap)

Russian Embassy-event

Russian Embassy cancels external national holiday event in Seoul

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- The Russian Embassy in Seoul has canceled an external event to commemorate Defender of the Fatherland Day, slated for Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of Russia's war with Ukraine.

The embassy had planned to hold a commemorative event near its building in central Seoul but is said to have canceled the plan at the last minute and converted it into an internal event.

The exact reason for the cancellation is yet to be known but some interpreted it as a response to the negative external views on the event.

The embassy recently caused a controversy by hanging a banner on the exterior wall of its building that reads "Victory will be ours" in Russian. The phrase, though used during World War II, drew criticism for being reminiscent of the war with Ukraine.

Though the external event was canceled, South Korean civic activists and some Russians staged a one-person protest in front of the embassy. Hong Jeong-sik, head of Hwalbindan, a civic group, held a picket sign reading "Stop Putin. Stop War," chanting slogans such as "Take down the ugly banner" and "The Republic of Korea opposes war."

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