Russo-Korean Treaty of 1884 on Friendship and Trade

The Russo-Korean Treaty of 1884 was signed on June 25 (July 7) in Seoul. In the late 19th century, when the imperialist struggle for Korea was intensifying, Russia stood in the path of the final enslavement of Korea by the colonial powers, especially Japan. The Russo-Korean Treaty of 1884 established diplomatic relations between Russia and Korea and regular voyages by Russian ships between the two countries. Russian subjects could move freely and engage in commerce in Korea, lease or purchase land and structures, and build houses, enterprises, and warehouses in Korea’s open ports of Wonsan, Pusan, and Inchon. The treaty led to the successful development of Russo-Korean economic and cultural ties and commercial relations.