The parts of The Korea Times' editorial are as follows:
Teheran-ro in southern Seoul's Gangnam is the only street in Korea named after a foreign city. Likewise, the Iranian capital named one of its boulevards Seoul Street in 1977.
The sisterhood relationship between the two capitals demonstrates a successful example of pragmatic diplomacy between Korea and Iran.
President Yoon Suk Yeol damaged it sharply, if not entirely already.
While speaking to Korean troops in the UAE earlier this week during his state visit to the country, Yoon compared UAE-Iran ties to inter-Korean relations and said Iran is the UAE's "enemy and biggest threat."
That prompted the Iranian government to summon the Korean ambassador to protest Yoon's remark. Before that, a foreign ministry spokesperson said the Korean president was "totally unaware" of the Middle East situation and was being "meddlesome." Despite the efforts of Korean diplomats to appease Iran, Tehran says it is still waiting for an "explanation."
Many Koreans appear nervous whenever their president goes abroad. In London last September, Yoon failed to view the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II lying in state, blaming traffic. In New York days later, he caused a stir with an expletives-filled remark after a chat with U.S. President Joe Biden. Commenting on Japan's military rearmament, he said, "Who can say something?" Faced with North Korean provocations, Yoon said, "We must pay them back a hundred and a thousand times." Opposition parties say Yoon's mouth is the "greatest security risk."
Foreign ministry officials and Yoon's diplomatic aides are pitiable but deserve criticism. They are busy cleaning up the mess caused by their boss, failing to support him properly by speaking more frankly. We know talking straight to the president is hard, but they must do so for the entire nation ― and the president himself.
An aide to former President Moon Jae-in said recently that a Korean president's job is 90 percent diplomacy. However, the public is increasingly skeptical about whether the current chief executive can handle that.
People cannot change their habits or perceptions quickly. But Yoon must think at least three times before making diplomatic remarks. Still, he must first mend the ties with Iran for himself.
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