The old Soviet Union's decision to open formal ties with South Korea in 1990 was a defining moment for Seoul to take the upper hand in its intense Cold War rivalry with its communist neighbor, North Korea.

Fifteen years later, Seoul-Moscow relations have matured and keep expanding, while North Korea's ties with its former ideological mentor remain crimped.

Russia, which inherited from the disbanded Soviet Union, is now an emerging market for South Korea, the world 11th largest economy. Two-way trade reached US$6 billion in 2004.