South Korean Amb. felicitates Iran on Islamic Revolution victory

 South Korean Amb. felicitates Iran on Islamic Revolution victory

South Korean Ambassador to Tehran Seung-ho KIM on Wednesday felicitated Iranian government and nation on anniversary of victory of the Islamic Revolution, calling for enhanced economic cooperation to make good on the recess due to the sanctions, AVA Diplomatic reports.

The ambassador released a statement titled ‘Islamic Revolution, I, and new relations of Iran and South Korea’ giving an intimate account with Iranian young revolutionaries who fought dictatorship in 1979 and the friendship he developed with Iranian people during his diplomatic career in Iran.

‘I was 17 when the Iranian Revolution started. Before the uprising, I did not know even where it is. If not the shocking photos carried in the Korean newspaper, I must have not paid any attention to Iran.

‘Everyday, I was horrified to see the photos of street fighting between the Iranian demonstrators and the then oppressive police. The police, safely protected behind armoured vehicles shoot protestors barely armed with stones. Many of them looked like teenagers like me. Graphic photos of Iranian boys shot to death and lying bleeding made me infuriated and be sympathized with their noble cause.

‘My feelings in this regard grew so strong that I felt a great joy when the Iranian Revolution was finally won. The photo of Azadi square swarmed with millions of enthusiastic Iranians to welcome the late Ayatollah Khomeini on 1st February, 1979 is still deeply imprinted in my mind as a symbol of the revolution I watched with great sympathy.

‘After 20 years of the victory, I was able to see with my own eyes the squares and streets once rivers of blood spilled when I arrived in Iran to start my mission as an Economic Counsellor at the Korean Embassy. Many things changed. Shahyad tower was renamed as Azadi, Shah Reza street became Engelab and so on.

‘After 15 years have passed since then, I come back in Iran this time as Ambassador. Again, many things changed. The success of nuclear negotiation made Iran return to the international politics and economy as a major player. The World finally understood no regional issues, be it Syria, Daesh, could not be effectively managed without proper engagement of Iran. Iranian market is depicted like a savior for the lingering world economy. Iranians seem to be more confident and full of aspiration for better future. World leaders are rushing to Tehran either to shape new relations with Iran or simply not to be left behind in a new circumstance where Iran is noticeably emerging.

‘Korea is no exception. Although Korea and Iran have maintained a high level of cooperative relation thus far, we have to make the most of the new atmosphere of the post sanction in order to anchor the relation more firmly. The 17 years old boy who shed sympathetic tears for the young Iranian martyrs walks the same streets where they were bravely fallen, seeking insights on how to shape our two countries friendship in the coming era.

‘It could be boiled down to resumption, diversification, interconnection and political boost. First, we need to quickly resume our previous level of relations, especially in trade. Before the sanctions, our two countries’ trade stood at around $17 billion. Regrettably, now it has reduced to one-third. Iran had been the second largest oil supplier to Korea prior to the sanction. Korean workers were omni present in every large construction site throughout Iran. Resumption of our relations to the previous level will be a foundation on which two country can stand together in the new era.

‘We also need to diversify our relations. So far, our relations are rather focused on economic issues. We need to expand our relations into virtually all areas, such as political ties, cultural exchange, social activities, people-to-people mutual understanding. Even in economic field, health care, tourism, automobile, pharmaceutical, agriculture and many other sectors wait to be cultivated. Diversified relations wil be more stable and more productive.

‘We need to be interconnected each other. The more interwined we are, the more sustainable our relations become. Trading partners can be easily switched upon better price offers. However, co-producers can not be easily divorced and investment can not be easily transferred. Two countries annually exchanging multi million tourists can not be easily stand against. Two peoples mutually understanding each other’s culture, tradition and history generate amicable environment for their government work together.

‘In order to nurture our relations in those directions, we need political boost. I believe that political cooperation can be tailwind for the sailing ship of our two countries in the sea of no sanction. High ranking officials of the two governments shall meet more frequently, explore more avenues of cooperation, and discuss many issues of common interest.

‘Recently, it was announced that Korean President Park Geun-hye will visit Iran in the near future. Governmental process to fix the dates and agenda will starts soon. If realized, the Presidential visit, the very first in the history of both Korea and Iran, is sure to bring great impetus in pushing forward our relations to the direction of enlarged, deepened and more interconnected partnership.

‘With our face to be faced each other, we can argue, haggle, but we can not walk together. To be a companion travelling together far and long, we have to stand shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand. It is the type of relation that I pursue as Ambassador with Iran freed from the sanctions. It is a great pity that I could not work together in this endeavor with those young Iranian boys martyred in the revolution but surely I am deeply indebted with their sacrifice, without which current Islamic Iran could not stand before me as a partner to travel with.’

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