[정치]The government’s ‘perplexity’ at Iran’s visit …

[앵커]

The government cannot hide its embarrassment over the seizure of a Korean ship ahead of the Vice Foreign Minister’s visit to Iran.

Since the Deputy Foreign Minister’s visit to Iran is scheduled, he is well aware of the background to the sudden arrest of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Reporter Lee Gyo-jun.

[기자]

The government is embarrassed by the capture incident amid a friendly atmosphere, such as the expansion of humanitarian trade between Korea and Iran.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Jong-gun will visit Tehran as scheduled early next week to discuss a wide range of issues between the two countries, including the issue of freezing Iran’s funds.

[최영삼 / 외교부 대변인 : (최 차관이 이번에 방문하게 되면 여러 가지 한국과 이란 간 공동 관심사에 대해 폭넓은 협의가 있을 것으로 생각합니다. 또한 최근 발생한 선박 억류문제와 관련해서도 당연히 관련 의견 교환이 있을 것으로 생각합니다.]

The Foreign Ministry has not ruled out the possibility that the measure was linked to a freeze on Iranian oil exports, despite the Iranian government’s clarification that it is due to technical problems related to marine pollution from Korean ships.

This is because some believe that the government of South Korea, an ally of the United States, has lobbied for action to lift the freeze.

[박현도 / 명지대 중동문제연구소 연구교수 : 이란 행정부와 군이 사전에 조율했다면 우리나라에겐 직접적인 압력이 될 거고 미국에는 간접적인 압력이 될 텐데요. 결국 금융 해제 문제가 안건이 됐을 가능성이 크고요.]

Diplomats also raise the possibility that, regardless of the will of the Iranian government, the hard-line conservatives, led by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, have taken their own actions to show their presence before the presidential elections.

[인남식 / 국립외교원 교수 : 이란혁명수비대가 6월 이란 대통령 선거를 앞두고 조금 유리한 정치지형을 획득하기 위한 하나의 포석이라고 볼 수 있고요.]

Amid various analyzes on the background to the capture of a Korean tanker, the government also seeks cooperation with the international community while making every effort to resolve it early through Vice Minister Choi Jong-Geon’s visit to Iran.

YTN Kyojun Lee[[email protected]]is.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]