[3] The Mission began functioning on the Korean peninsula in February 1900, reached its peak in 1917, and thereafter fell into decline when funding was cut off following the October Revolution.
The Mission continued its activities during the period from 1910 to 1945 when Korea was a colony of the Empire of Japan, remaining loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The South Korean authorities seized the Mission's property and banished its head, Archimandrite Polycarp (Priymak).
In February 2019, the Russian Orthodox Church formally decided to resume missionary activities in Korea.
One reason for this decision was the long term trend of a significant influx of Russian-speaking people in South Korea, prompting a need to open new parishes.