Mohammad Jafar Javadi Arjmand
Aejung Kim

Iran is the third largest market for Korean products in the Middle East, playing an important role in procuring the country’s energy. Despite relatively long history of their trade relations, the two countries have adopted a foreign policy of separation of politics from economy. The main question of this study is, therefore, to realize the most important elements impacting the two countries’ approach towards each other. Through comparative-analysis method, this research examines important factors impacting and being employed in the foreign policy model of the two countries, and sheds light on the political, economic and geopolitical settings conducive to foreign policies of the two countries. The results of the present study indicate that there are various factors that impact the decisions and equations related to foreign policies pursued by these two countries, including the presence and influence of the US in East Asia, conflicts with North Korea, China’s increased political and economic relations with Iran, Iran’s foreign policy after the Islamic revolution, and South Korea’s relations with Arab countries.

Foreign Policy, Economic Relations, Iran, South Korea, Geostrategy