TEHRAN- Kim Junpyo, the South Korean ambassador to Iran, said that South Korea and Iran possess unparalleled potential to become ideal economic partners.

In an exclusive interview conducted by IRNA, the ambassador said: “South Korea and Iran possess unparalleled potential to become ideal economic partners. South Korea has significant advantages in digital and advanced technology, industry, and manufacturing, while Iran boasts vast territory, rich natural resources, and a capable human resource pool of nearly 90 million people. These complementary features provide a solid foundation for the two countries to become each other's best economic partners.”

He continued: “In the past, the two countries have turned this potential into reality, creating successful examples of cooperation. By providing a stable energy supply, Iran contributed to the rapid growth of the South Korean economy, and Korean companies, by implementing large-scale infrastructure projects in Iran and cooperating with Iranian companies in automobile and electronics manufacturing, created thousands of job opportunities for the Iranian people. As a result, the volume of bilateral trade reached $17.4 billion at one point.”

“Unfortunately, due to external factors such as international sanctions, economic cooperation between the two countries has significantly decreased. However, these very difficulties themselves indicate the immense potential present in the economic relations between Tehran and Seoul. Whenever suitable conditions arise, economic cooperation between the two countries can not only return to its previous level but also grow beyond it”, Ambassador Kim emphasized.

“Today, the areas for cooperation have become much broader than in the past. Traditional sectors such as energy, construction, infrastructure, and manufacturing still hold high potential, but now there are also new opportunities in emerging industries; industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, renewable energy, and other areas that both countries are interested in developing”, the envoy further explained.

He continued: “To expand economic cooperation, I will strive to enhance the level of trust and mutual understanding in various fields, including culture, science, and people-to-people exchanges. We are also in continuous dialogue and engagement with Korean companies that are waiting for suitable conditions to enter the Iranian market. Communication with Iranian companies has also increased to understand the mutual needs and interests of both sides.”

“Changing external conditions is not within our control, but even within this framework, much can be done. Believing in this, I am putting all my efforts into preparing the necessary groundwork so that when conditions are favorable, economic cooperation between Iran and South Korea can flourish once again and bear fruit anew”, the ambassador concluded.

MA