Park, Khamenei reach consensus on boosting ties

By Kim Kwang-tae

TEHRAN, May 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have forged a consensus on boosting bilateral relations, a South Korean official said Tuesday.

Park proposed that Seoul and Iran pursue mutual cooperation in various fields and expand cultural and personnel exchanges between the two countries, said Kim Kyou-hyun, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs.

"Park’s meeting with Khamenei has served as an occasion to form relations with the top leader and cement support inside Iran for the development of bilateral friendly cooperative ties,” Kim said of the meeting that lasted about 30 minutes at Khamenei’s office on Monday evening.

Iran, which has 80 million people, has emerged as a promising market as it is pushing to rebuild an economy and modernize railways and other major infrastructure following the lifting of international sanctions earlier this year.

The U.N. lifted sanctions on Iran in a follow-up to a nuclear deal reached with the United States and five world powers over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Khamenei said he hopes Park’s historic visit could serve as an occasion to further boost bilateral relations to a new level and expressed gratitude to Park for a large economic delegation.

“We believe that there is a greater prospect for understanding, agreement and cooperation with these (Asian) countries, including South Korea, which is among the advanced Asian countries,” Khamenei said, according to Press TV, Iran’s 24-hour English language news.

More than 230 South Korean business executives and leaders have accompanied the president on her state visit to the Islamic Republic to explore new business opportunities.

On Monday, Park met with her Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, in the first summit between the leaders of the two countries since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations in 1962.

The two leaders observed the signing of nearly 20 out of 66 memorandums of understanding worth up to US$45.6 billion.

Seoul hopes the MOUs will boost bilateral trade and pave the way for South Korea to eventually win massive infrastructure projects under way in Iran.

Khamenei said Iran wants to learn from South Korea on science and technology. Park proposed that South Korea and Iran expand cooperation for relevant sectors.

She also said South Korea’s Saemaul Movement, which helped modernize its rural economy in the 1970s, could help Iran realize its growth potential.

The rural development program initiated by Park's father, then-President Park Chung-hee, is credited with helping modernize the rural South Korean economy, turning Seoul into an economic powerhouse.

South Korea -- which has transformed itself from a key recipient of U.N. aid after the 1950-53 Korean War to a donor country -- has been sharing its Saemaul Movement experience with developing nations over the years.

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