South Korea’s minister of housing and transportation, Kim Youn Ki, has paid a visit to Iran, to examine ways of increasing the level of economic cooperation between Tehran and Seoul. While in the country, he met with a number of senior politicians and technocrats.
Following a meeting with the Korean official, Iran’s first vice president, Hassan Habibi, said that Asian countries are among Iran's foreign policy priorities. He expressed satisfaction about the level of involvement by South Korean companies in Iran, and stressed that Iran is interested to strengthen bilateral relations in all areas, and especially in the transfer of technology, joint investments, fisheries and transportation. He also said that Iran is prepared to cooperate with South Korea in the area of oil and gas.
The South Korean minister also held talks with Mahmoud Hojjati, the Iranian minister of roads and transportation. Hojjati noted that cooperation between the two countries in the transport sector has improved in the recent years, pointing out that Korean companies have been involved in the Bafq-Bandar Abbas railway and the Masjed-Soleyman dam.
Noting an agreement to set up a direct flight between Seoul and Tehran, Hojjati expressed his confidence that this would serve to improve cooperation in other fields. He added that the two companies had agreed to cooperate in the field of shipping, and an agreement has been finalized to that effect and will shortly be signed in Seoul.
Hojjati stated that South Korean companies can make use of Amirabad port on the Caspian Sea and the Shaheed Rajaei port in the south of the country.
Kim Youn Ki rejected claims raised in Iran that a number of bankrupt South Korean companies are working in Iran. All South Korean firms active in Iran are well established and approved by the government, he stated. — (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
