چکیده:
Iran is the third largest market for Korean products in the Middle East, playing an important role in procuring the country’s energy. Despite relatively long history of their trade relations, the two countries have adopted a foreign policy of separation of politics from economy. The main question of this study is, therefore, to realize the most important elements impacting the two countries’ approach towards each other. Through comparative-analysis method, this research examines important factors impacting and being employed in the foreign policy model of the two countries, and sheds light on the political, economic and geopolitical settings conducive to foreign policies of the two countries. The results of the present study indicate that there are various factors that impact the decisions and equations related to foreign policies pursued by these two countries, including the presence and influence of the US in East Asia, conflicts with North Korea, China’s increased political and economic relations with Iran, Iran’s foreign policy after the Islamic revolution, and South Korea’s relations with Arab countries.
خلاصه ماشینی:
The Foreign Relations of Iran and South Korea: Separation of Economy and Politics Aejung Kim ** Mohammad Jafar Javadi Arjmand Abstract Iran is the third largest market for Korean products in the Middle East, playing an important role in procuring the country’s energy.
The results of the present study indicate that there are various factors that impact the decisions and equations related to foreign policies pursued by these two countries, including the presence and influence of the US in East Asia, conflicts with North Korea, China’s increased political and economic relations with Iran, Iran’s foreign policy after the Islamic revolution, and South Korea’s relations with Arab countries.
Although Iran and South Korea attach high importance to their trade, energy, and economy relations, the foreign policies of the two countries hinge upon keeping the separation of politics from economy and upon taking neutral stances.
Furthermore, significant global incidences such as the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution, end of the Cold War, and China’s high economic growth rate exerted a considerable effect on the US regional interests and redirected US policies from harnessing communism into energy security in the Middle East and prevention of the advancement of regional powers such as Iran.
The type of the country’s foreign policy in the regional Arab countries indicates that it is seeking long-term goals in order to reach a medium status of power in the world and the Middle East; this would likely exert grave consequences on Iran’s foreign policy towards South Korea in various arenas, including political and military ones.