By: Kayhan Int’l
South Korea seems to be heading on an erratic course because of the slavish attitude of its rulers to the US, the meddler-in-chief, which hates to see Seoul act as an independent sovereign state.
This is evident by the current tension in the Korean Peninsula, which has remained hopelessly divided at the 38th Parallel for the past seventy years because of undue US interference, despite the earnest efforts of the peoples of the two Koreas to unite.
The rather divisive stance of the government of South Korea on several issues has brought swift warnings from North Korea, which has strongly castigated the US and charged it with evil intentions to keep the region in perpetual turmoil in order to serve its vested interests.
At the same time, Washington’s meddling has soured Seoul’s ties with China, and is also preventing the South Korean government from withholding the return of Iranian money in banks in that country.
Billions of dollars of Iranian money is lying frozen in South Korean banks as a result of the illegal and extraterritorial threats by the US, and the failure, despite repeated requests by the Islamic Republic of Iran through legal channels, for return of this money.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, made clear the other day in his press conference: "South Korea has subjected more than half a century of relations with us to interference from others. South Korea’s blind obedience to the US and its move to use the unilateral US pressures as an excuse (for blocking Iran’s assets) are not acceptable to us.”
He also warned that South Korea – or for that matter any other country – "has no right to block the Iranian nation’s assets”, which according to the Chairman of the Iran-South Korea Joint Chamber of Commerce, are between $6.5 billion and $9 billion dollars.
This negative attitude by South Korea is in violation of international laws and clauses of the UN Charter, as well as against Seoul’s own long-term interests vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Tehran has always preferred solutions to all sorts of crises, including tensions in the Korean Peninsula, but it seems Seoul is so subservient to the US that it does not understand the language of diplomacy.
This was evident yesterday when South Korea after repeated requests in vain, finally banned distribution of anti-North Korean leaflets and shouting of provocative slogans at the joint border of the two countries, following a stern warning of possible military strike by Pyongyang.
Last Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said it is high time to break with South Korea, and warned that the army might take necessary measures.
This prompted South Korea’s Unification Minister, Kim Yeon-chul, to quickly call a press conference and harp on the spirit of reconciliation, as specified by the rate summit of the leaders of the two countries two decades ago in 2000.
In view of these facts, Tehran should strongly press Seoul for release of its money and take punitive measures if South Korea continues to block return of Iranian assets.
The Islamic Republic likes to see South Korea stand on its feet as a thriving and sovereign independent state, rather than blindly obey orders from the US.
This is evident by the current tension in the Korean Peninsula, which has remained hopelessly divided at the 38th Parallel for the past seventy years because of undue US interference, despite the earnest efforts of the peoples of the two Koreas to unite.
The rather divisive stance of the government of South Korea on several issues has brought swift warnings from North Korea, which has strongly castigated the US and charged it with evil intentions to keep the region in perpetual turmoil in order to serve its vested interests.
At the same time, Washington’s meddling has soured Seoul’s ties with China, and is also preventing the South Korean government from withholding the return of Iranian money in banks in that country.
Billions of dollars of Iranian money is lying frozen in South Korean banks as a result of the illegal and extraterritorial threats by the US, and the failure, despite repeated requests by the Islamic Republic of Iran through legal channels, for return of this money.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, made clear the other day in his press conference: "South Korea has subjected more than half a century of relations with us to interference from others. South Korea’s blind obedience to the US and its move to use the unilateral US pressures as an excuse (for blocking Iran’s assets) are not acceptable to us.”
He also warned that South Korea – or for that matter any other country – "has no right to block the Iranian nation’s assets”, which according to the Chairman of the Iran-South Korea Joint Chamber of Commerce, are between $6.5 billion and $9 billion dollars.
This negative attitude by South Korea is in violation of international laws and clauses of the UN Charter, as well as against Seoul’s own long-term interests vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Tehran has always preferred solutions to all sorts of crises, including tensions in the Korean Peninsula, but it seems Seoul is so subservient to the US that it does not understand the language of diplomacy.
This was evident yesterday when South Korea after repeated requests in vain, finally banned distribution of anti-North Korean leaflets and shouting of provocative slogans at the joint border of the two countries, following a stern warning of possible military strike by Pyongyang.
Last Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said it is high time to break with South Korea, and warned that the army might take necessary measures.
This prompted South Korea’s Unification Minister, Kim Yeon-chul, to quickly call a press conference and harp on the spirit of reconciliation, as specified by the rate summit of the leaders of the two countries two decades ago in 2000.
In view of these facts, Tehran should strongly press Seoul for release of its money and take punitive measures if South Korea continues to block return of Iranian assets.
The Islamic Republic likes to see South Korea stand on its feet as a thriving and sovereign independent state, rather than blindly obey orders from the US.
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