Russia is expected to establish its first cultural center in South Korea early next year with the aim of promoting Russian culture and facilitating cultural exchanges between the two nations, a diplomatic source said Monday.

“The governments of Korea and Russia have been in close consultation to set up the Russian cultural center in Seoul,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.

Seoul and Moscow have been pushing to hold a bilateral summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a G-20 summit to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia in September, according to the source.

During the planned summit, Park and Putin are expected to sign an accord to establish the Russian cultural center in Seoul, the source said.

South Korea and Russia established diplomatic ties in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. (Yonhap News)