Andrei Lankov, a Korean studies professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, has been detained by police in Latvia while delivering a lecture on North Korea. Russian media outlet RBC reported that he was added to a Latvian authorities' blacklist, and the Australian consulate has been notified. No reasons for the detention were provided.
Andrei Lankov, a professor of Korean studies at Kookmin University in Seoul, was born in Russia in 1963 and studied at a university in Pyongyang during the 1980s. He holds Australian citizenship. Lankov was detained by Latvian police during a lecture in Riga titled "North Korea: What the Leaders Want and Fear."
Russian news outlet RBC reported the incident on Wednesday (Russian time), citing an interview with the professor. The lecture organizers stated, "Andrey Nikolaevich is safe and awaiting the arrival of his lawyer. The Australian consul has been notified of the situation." Citing a local Latvian report, RBC noted that Lankov was taken away by officers mid-lecture and added to the Latvian authorities' "blacklist."
The detention occurred on February 25, 2026, with no reasons disclosed. Lankov is known for previous lectures, such as one on the Russia-North Korea alliance in Seoul on August 30, 2024. The event highlights potential diplomatic tensions amid international academic exchanges.
