South Korea and the Northern Sea Route

27.08.2025

Seoul plans to use the Northern Sea Route (NSR) via Russian territory. Pilot shipments are expected to begin in 2026, and in 2025 the government will establish a dedicated task force to develop the Arctic route.

President Lee Jae-myung sees the NSR as an alternative to the Suez and Panama canals and aims to transform the South Korean ports of Busan and Ulsan into hubs of Arctic trade.

The main competitor is China, where Shanghai is already emerging as an Arctic hub. Despite currently modest cargo volumes (mainly Russian oil and gas exports), experts predict the route’s significance will grow rapidly.

The creation of an NSR economic zone in South Korea’s southern regions is expected to give a new boost to port development.