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The Republic of Korea and the Iran Nuclear Issue

South Korea and Iran have had a somewhat strained relationship since Seoul backed the October 2005 resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors against Iran's nuclear program. Iran immediately retaliated by imposing an embargo on some South Korean products. However this embargo was lifted shortly, after Seoul sent representatives to Tehran to discuss the issue.[1]

Prior to the February Board Meeting that sent the issue of Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council, the South Korean government had expressed its concerns over the growing nuclear impasse and its preference for the use of dialogue to solve the issue. In a meeting in Seoul with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari on January 11, 2006, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon noted his government's support for the international efforts to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons and stated that Seoul hoped the issue could be solved through dialogue. In a press conference after the meeting with Safari, Ban said further, "We would like to see the Iranian nuclear issue to be [sic] solved promptly through dialogue, and without referring it to the U.N. Security Council."[2]

Prior to the visit, Safari had warned in a press interview that his country would reconsider its relationship with South Korea if Seoul once again voted against Iran at the special IAEA meeting. According to a South Korean official, Safari justified Tehran's need for nuclear energy in a meeting between both foreign ministries, and asked for South Korea's support for its nuclear activities. In response, his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan reiterated Seoul's commitment to the global efforts of curbing the spread of nuclear weapons. In addition, Yu called for Iran to facilitate imports of South Korean products, stressing the multilateral nuclear issue should be kept separate from the bilateral trade issue.[3]

South Korean officials have also been concerned over how the impasse over Iran will affect the current North Korea nuclear situation. On January 10, 2006, Foreign Minister Ban noted that "the resurgent disputes over [Iran's] nuclear program may have a negative impact on global efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis."[4]


[1] Park Song-wu, "Seoul Expresses Concern on Iran Nuclear Programs," Korea Times, January 12, 2006, in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
[2] ibid.
[3] Yonhap News Agency, "South Korea Expresses 'Concern' Over Iran's Nuclear Activity," January 11, 2006, in BBC Monitoring International Reports, in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
[4] ibid.


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