Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.
Yoon's 'enemy' remarks escalate into diplomatic row with Iran
A man walks past the Iranian Embassy in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Kang Seung-woo
Tehran's strong response to Yoon's comments most likely related to frozen funds: expert
By Kang Seung-woo
Tehran summoned the South Korean ambassador to Iran and threatened to review its diplomatic ties with Seoul in response to President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent remarks describing the Middle Eastern country as the biggest threat to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In retaliation, the South Korean government also called in the Iranian ambassador to Korea, Thursday, raising concerns that the incident may escalate into a diplomatic row between the two countries.
According to Iran's foreign ministry, Wednesday (local time), Reza Najafi, the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, summoned the South Korean Ambassador to Iran, Yun Kang-hyeon, and lodged a “strong protest” against the president's remarks.
During his visit to the South Korean Akh Unit in Abu Dhabi, Sunday (local time) to encourage the soldiers, Yoon said Korea and the UAE are in a similar position, with each facing North Korea and Iran as the enemy and biggest threat. The Akh unit trains the UAE's special operations forces.
Najafi highlighted Iran's friendly ties with most of the Gulf states and said the comments by the South Korean president are tantamount to interference in friendly relations and undermine peace and security in the region, the ministry said.
“The Iranian deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs demanded an immediate explanation about the remarks and underscored the need for Seoul to correct such an approach,” it added.
On Monday, the Iranian side took issue with Yoon's remarks, calling them undiplomatic and asked Seoul for an explanation. In addition, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul also said, Wednesday, that it asked for an explanation about Yoon's anti-Iran remarks.
The strong responses from Iran came even though the South Korean foreign ministry had communicated with the country in the wake of the remarks, raising speculation that Tehran is still unhappy with the South Korean government's follow-up measures and the case may hurt bilateral ties that marked the 60th anniversary last year.
According to Lim Soo-suk, the spokesperson for Seoul's foreign ministry, First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong called in Saeed Badamchi Shabestari, the Iranian ambassador to Seoul, and explained Seoul's position again.
The South Korean foreign ministry has explained that the president's remarks were meant to encourage soldiers of the unit to do their best in fulfilling their duties in the UAE, adding that they have nothing to do with relations between countries, including those with Iran.
Najafi also took issue with South Korea's “unfriendly moves” that include the freezing of Iranian assets during his meeting with Yun, saying Seoul's failure to take effective measures to resolve disputes will prompt Iran to reconsider bilateral ties, the ministry said.
Seoul and Tehran have been at odds over $7 billion (8.6 trillion won) of Iran's funds ― proceeds from Iranian oil sales ― held in accounts at Woori Bank and the Industrial Bank of Korea due to U.S. sanctions re-imposed in 2018 following former U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear pact, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In 2020, the Iranian foreign ministry threatened South Korea with legal action at the International Court of Justice.
In addition, the Iranian deputy foreign minister also described the South Korean president's comments about the possibility of producing nuclear arms as contradicting the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and demanded an explanation.
Regarding Iran's reference to the NPT issue, the vice minister said the claim was completely unfounded and there is no change in South Korea's determination to fulfil the obligations, the spokesman said.
However, amid growing concerns that the incident may escalate into a major diplomatic row, Go Myong-hyun, a senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, believes that Iran is seeking to leverage the controversy to pressure South Korea into unlocking its frozen funds here rather than trying to review bilateral relations.
“I do not believe this will worsen South Korea-Iran ties. Currently, the Iranian funds are held here due to the U.S.-led sanctions and in this regard, it has repeatedly lodged complaints to the South Korean government,” Go said.
“Taking issue with the president's remarks, Iran seems to maintain a stance forcing South Korea to unlock the funds.”
In response, the South Korean administration maintains that it cannot accept Iran's demands due to U.S. sanctions.
“I think the Iranian government may propose a third option to get the money during its communications with the South Korean side,” Go added.