A 50-day voyage: South Korea tests Arctic shipping route amid Russia-West tensions

A faster journey to Europe

The PanStar Acro left Busan on August 22 and sailed north around Russia. It reached Felixstowe in southern England, then continued to Rotterdam and Gdansk before returning along the Northern Sea Route.

The full trip took 50 days. The route is about 7,000 kilometers shorter than the Suez Canal passage and saved at least 10 days compared with the fastest Suez journeys described in the report.

Arctic access is growing

Retreating sea ice linked to climate change is making Arctic navigation more possible after decades when ice blocked the route. Commercial ships may still require icebreaker escorts at some times of year.

The Arctic Council recorded 1,812 vessels operating in the Arctic last year, a 40% rise from 2013. South Korea’s government has outlined a goal of regular commercial services on the Northern Sea Route by 2030; the PanStar Acro voyage was a logistics test.

Economic opportunity, political risk

Analysts say Seoul hopes to expand trade while maintaining a working relationship with Moscow, partly in the hope of discouraging Russian arms support for North Korea. European diplomats’ concerns also include the alleged delivery of about 165,000 tons of fuel to Russia in August aboard sanctioned Russian tankers.

Balancing ties with Moscow

Kristanto said closer economic engagement with Russia could weaken efforts to isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. He noted that Russia could exert pressure through regulations and icebreaker assistance.

Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University, said South Korea sees the route as newly accessible and economically attractive, while also signaling to the Russian government that it wants to manage relations. The article also says Seoul has taken a firmer stance against Ukraine since September, when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the United Nations; the account ends before giving further details.