[News Focus] Park to spin Iran summit into political momentum

President Park Geun-hye’s landmark visit to Iran, which Cheong Wa Dae applauded as eliciting unprecedented diplomatic and economic progress, is hoped by the government and the ruling camp to give much-needed momentum to state affairs amid their faltering approval ratings.

Citing the purported economic outcome of the visit and Iranian top leaders’ support for denuclearization, the president is likely to tout renewed leadership and to reiterate the government’s current hardline policies against North Korea.

Doubts persist, however, over whether the president’s diplomatic success will translate domestically.

The economic achievement, for one, has been questioned by many here for allegedly being exaggerated, as often has been the case in past administrations and their sales diplomacy.

The event had come amid heightening anticipation toward the promising Iranian market since international economic sanctions were lifted earlier this year from the Middle East country, following its earlier denuclearization deal.
President Park Geun-hye talks to the press on her return flight from the Iran state visit on Wednesday. (Yonhap)“Through an advanced strategic relationship with Iran, we hope to trigger a second Middle East boom and eventually create new momentum for our nation’s economy,” Park told reporters Tuesday, local time, on the plane back to Seoul from Tehran.

“In my meetings with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, I have reconfirmed their strong will to cooperate with Korea in large-scale infrastructure projects, as well as new growth sectors such as medical care and energy.”

In his briefing to the press, An Chong-bum, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, had said on Monday, “The economic outcome triggered by the bilateral summit and the affiliated deals will amount to $45.6 billion in total,”

Cheong Wa Dae had earlier set the figure at $39.1 billion, describing it as a “conservative” estimation, but later explained that the amount could rise higher when reflecting the potential deals to a fuller extent.

But among the 30 state-level projects cited as profitable, only six so far carry legal binding force while the rest remain in the initial stage of contracting, mostly memorandums of understanding.

Iran’s relatively placid attitude over the economic effects has added to the skepticism.

“We should make attempts to achieve developed relations and increase cooperation (with South Korea) and remove the obstacles,” Iran’s official presidential website quoted its president as saying over the summit.

While it described the two states’ consensus to boost their trade volume initially to $18 billion and then to $30 billion, the Iranian government mentioned neither the total amount nor the individual order volume based on the signed memorandums.

Meanwhile, as Park wrapped up her three-day state visit to Iran -- the first of its kind to take place since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1962 -- the president also underscored the progress made in regard to North Korea.

“Iran has traditionally held amicable relations with North Korea,” the president said.

“The fact that it has clearly spoken out its stance (on denuclearization and peninsular peace) is an exceptional and significant move.”

Her remarks came amid speculation that the reclusive communist regime may implement a fifth nuclear test on Friday to mark the nationwide congress of its ruling Worker’s Party.

With the Iran summit behind her, President Park’s imminent task is to meet with the leadership of leading political parties, as per her earlier pledge.

“I will meet with the leadership of the (top) three parties as soon as possible after my visit to Iran,” the president said late last month in a meeting with the chief editors of local press.

The ruling conservative Saenuri Party, which has been suffering a leadership vacuum since its crushing defeat in the April 13 general election, inaugurated journalist-turned-politician Chung Jin-suk as its new floor leader on Tuesday.

The Minjoo Party of Korea decided to uphold the current interim leadership of Kim Chong-in until its national convention slated for late August or early September.

The second biggest opposition party, the People’s Party, has constituted its leadership, with former Minjoo senior Rep. Park Jie-won as floor leader.

By displaying clout over the forthcoming legislature, President Park is hoping to pull up her approval ratings which hit a record-low in late April, in the weeks following the general election.

According to local pollster Gallup Korea, Park’s approval ratings stood at 30 percent from April 26-28, bouncing back from a record low of 29 percent in the previous week.

By Bae Hyun-jung(tellme@heraldcorp.com)

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