By Yi Whan-woo
President Park Geun-hye and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have agreed to bolster bilateral relations for regional peace and security in a much-touted meeting before Park wrapped up her three-day visit to Tehran, Tuesday.
The meeting, held Monday, is expected to deal another blow to North Korea's nuclear program in addition to the first-ever South Korea-Iran summit hours earlier.
The meeting is significant as Iran's ruling system combines a theocracy with republicanism, and Khamenei, who is also a spiritual leader, wields far more power than Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the country's parliament.
No North Korean leaders have met Khamenei since June 1989 when he succeeded the late Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the Iranian Revolution.
The late Kim Il-sung only met Khamenei when the latter visited Pyongyang as the Iranian president in May 1989.
In a meeting with Park, Khamenei did not mention North Korea and its nuclear program.
But he called on resolving issues on terrorism and insecurity around the globe, saying: "I hope South Korea and Iran can cooperate to bring peace and stability."
Some Cheong Wa Dae officials interpreted that Khamenei's words were in line with Rouhani, who stated his support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula following his summit with Park.
"Khamenei, of course, has absolute power but he is theoretically a religious leader and he may have stepped aside from touching on political issues," a presidential aide said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Iran has sent a warning to North Korea on pursuing its nuclear ambitions although they maintain amicable relations in general.
Kim Yeol-su, an international politics professor at Sungshin Women's University, echoed the ministry's view.
"Khamenei's remarks should be understood in parallel with what Rouhani said concerning North Korea's nuclear program," he said. "North Korea could simply ignore the words if they were uttered by leaders of other countries. But it is Iran that was internationally isolated for decades under the U.N. and also U.S.-led international sanctions before deciding to curb its nuclear program."
Under such circumstances, the meeting between Park and Khamenei can bring additional pressure on North Korea following the Seoul-Tehran summit, Kim added.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, Tuesday, North Korea may defy the U.N. Security Council's latest sanctions and carry out its fifth nuclear test to mark its Seventh Workers' Party Congress that starts Friday.
Meanwhile, Khamenei thanked Park for visiting Iran with her largest economic delegation ever. A total of 236 entrepreneurs and representatives of economic organizations accompanied Park, up from the previous record of 166 on Park's U.S. trip last year.
"South Korea excels in science technology and many other fields and Iran wants to learn from this," he said.
Park promised to expand exchanges in a wide range of areas, including human resources and culture over the long term.
Before returning to Seoul, Park attended a joint business forum among over 400 South Korean and Iranian businesspeople.
She stressed that the two countries can create a "win-win situation" if they cooperate on Iran's infrastructure projects as part of its efforts to re-build its economy after the U.S.-led six world powers agreed on sanctions relief.
"I am here to pursue the path of common prosperity with our old friend Iran," Park said, noting that the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1962.
"We can make a productive outcome in various projects on railways, airports, city planning and water management if South Korea's expertise meets Iran's strong drive for achievement," Park said.
She proposed diversifying cooperation on health and medical care, culture, and information and communications technology while enhancing investment in the trade, construction and energy sectors.
The two countries signed 66 memoranda of understanding that could lead to contracts worth $37.1 billion.
The trade volume between Korea and Iran stood at $6.1 billion in 2015, compared with $17.4 billion in 2011.
President Park Geun-hye and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have agreed to bolster bilateral relations for regional peace and security in a much-touted meeting before Park wrapped up her three-day visit to Tehran, Tuesday.
The meeting, held Monday, is expected to deal another blow to North Korea's nuclear program in addition to the first-ever South Korea-Iran summit hours earlier.
The meeting is significant as Iran's ruling system combines a theocracy with republicanism, and Khamenei, who is also a spiritual leader, wields far more power than Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the country's parliament.
No North Korean leaders have met Khamenei since June 1989 when he succeeded the late Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the Iranian Revolution.
The late Kim Il-sung only met Khamenei when the latter visited Pyongyang as the Iranian president in May 1989.
In a meeting with Park, Khamenei did not mention North Korea and its nuclear program.
But he called on resolving issues on terrorism and insecurity around the globe, saying: "I hope South Korea and Iran can cooperate to bring peace and stability."
Some Cheong Wa Dae officials interpreted that Khamenei's words were in line with Rouhani, who stated his support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula following his summit with Park.
"Khamenei, of course, has absolute power but he is theoretically a religious leader and he may have stepped aside from touching on political issues," a presidential aide said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Iran has sent a warning to North Korea on pursuing its nuclear ambitions although they maintain amicable relations in general.
Kim Yeol-su, an international politics professor at Sungshin Women's University, echoed the ministry's view.
"Khamenei's remarks should be understood in parallel with what Rouhani said concerning North Korea's nuclear program," he said. "North Korea could simply ignore the words if they were uttered by leaders of other countries. But it is Iran that was internationally isolated for decades under the U.N. and also U.S.-led international sanctions before deciding to curb its nuclear program."
Under such circumstances, the meeting between Park and Khamenei can bring additional pressure on North Korea following the Seoul-Tehran summit, Kim added.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, Tuesday, North Korea may defy the U.N. Security Council's latest sanctions and carry out its fifth nuclear test to mark its Seventh Workers' Party Congress that starts Friday.
Meanwhile, Khamenei thanked Park for visiting Iran with her largest economic delegation ever. A total of 236 entrepreneurs and representatives of economic organizations accompanied Park, up from the previous record of 166 on Park's U.S. trip last year.
"South Korea excels in science technology and many other fields and Iran wants to learn from this," he said.
Park promised to expand exchanges in a wide range of areas, including human resources and culture over the long term.
Before returning to Seoul, Park attended a joint business forum among over 400 South Korean and Iranian businesspeople.
She stressed that the two countries can create a "win-win situation" if they cooperate on Iran's infrastructure projects as part of its efforts to re-build its economy after the U.S.-led six world powers agreed on sanctions relief.
"I am here to pursue the path of common prosperity with our old friend Iran," Park said, noting that the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1962.
"We can make a productive outcome in various projects on railways, airports, city planning and water management if South Korea's expertise meets Iran's strong drive for achievement," Park said.
She proposed diversifying cooperation on health and medical care, culture, and information and communications technology while enhancing investment in the trade, construction and energy sectors.
The two countries signed 66 memoranda of understanding that could lead to contracts worth $37.1 billion.
The trade volume between Korea and Iran stood at $6.1 billion in 2015, compared with $17.4 billion in 2011.
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