Iranians were surprised last week when they saw a familiar face in a historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, Persian rug, a symbol of the country’s rich history and culture on the world stage.

The photos taken during an informal meeting between the two leaders showed a red Heris rug laid in the room.
The summit has been widely regarded as a diplomatic coup for North Korea, which repeated its commitment towards denuclearisation in a joint statement.

The hand-woven Heris rugs native to Iran’s northwestern province of Azerbaijan Sharqi, a major carpet-weaving zone in Iran.

Azerbaijan Sharqi’s neighboring province of Ardabil, Isfahan in central Iran and Kerman in the country’s southeast are other major carpet-weaving zones, each having its own unique style.

Carpet weaving has a history of 2,500 years in Iran, ingrained in the country’s national identity. There are currently as many as 1 million weavers across the country, including 700,000 full-time artisans involved in the profession.  
Iranian carpets are currently exported to 80 countries, among whom the US holds a special place.

The US has long been a major market for Iran’s hand-woven carpets but unilateral US sanctions have hurt Iran’s export to the country in recent years.

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At the time when this article will be printed, I may be in the plane bound for Korea and more probably already arrived at the hustle bustle city of Seoul, after wrapping up my ambassadorial duty in Iran. My last day in Tehran is coincided with the historical meeting between the two Korean Presidents.

Only one year ago, the two Koreas fired missiles to show off how capable and determined they are to destroy the other by force. The verbal threats exchanged after each fire work left a deep scar and exacerbated the already existing animosity against each other. The photo of the two Presidents reminds me of the one I saw immediately after my appointment as Korean ambassador to Iran.

It was the signing ceremony of the JCPOA in which the foreign ministers of the most powerful nations were lined up with Dr. Zarif at the center. That photo thrilled me. As a diplomat, I know how difficult it is for a small country to negotiate with the dominating powers even one by one. These Iranians who successfully manage the most influential states all alone are going to be my counterparts. I felt myself shrunk. I also jealously admired not what they achieved but how they achieved. Through dialogue, Iran did it.

On the last day in Tehran, I finally regain my pride thanks to the summit dialogue between the two Koreas. I also feel indebted to Iranians because the Korean dialogue was inspired, I believe, one way or another by the Iranian dialogue with the majors in solving the nuclear issue.

Dialogue was the major theme that I imposed on myself as Ambassador to Iran. I did not want our two countries relations to be overly dominated with commercial interests, mostly represented by trade. Dialogue is not a mere exchange of verbal sounds. It is rather a spiritual way of communication to reach your friends’ soul and heart. Korea and Iranian relation is often mystified by the large mathematical figure of trade, which is at best a myopic, selfish way that aims at your wallet, not heart.

A stabilized and balanced relation was the lighthouse that I navigated towards during my stay in Iran as Ambassador. I am not sure that my efforts were effective enough, desperate enough to bridge the geographical and cultural gap between the two countries. However, on leaving Iran, I can humbly enumerate several things that can be interpreted as a sign of dialogue in good faith. Recently a Korea section was opened at the Iranian national library. Special exhibitions for national museum artifacts were reciprocally organized both in Tehran and Seoul. Two countries’ symphony orchestra performed each other’s music. Large cultural delegation visited several times not only in Tehran but also in Isfahan. My residence was offered many times to Iranian artists for their personal exhibition.

Every Thursday, Korean embassy is open to the public for Korean movies. Even in economic fields, a system was set up for sharing technologies among small and medium companies. A framework agreement was signed in order to lend up to 8 billion euro to the large Iranian projects where Korean companies are allowed to participate. All of these would have not been realized as planned without dedicated support of the Iranian entities concerned. During my tenure here, I have been surrounded with willing Iranians who are eagerly helpful and curious in any matters related to Korea. I thank them.
Upon arrival three years ago, I found these Iranians are full of confidence, pride and expectation for the future that are yet shaped but brought by themselves through the nuclear deal. On leaving this country, I sense some anxiety and uncertainty of my Iranian friends for the future that could be externally enforced this time. But I am rather optimistic.

The Inter-Korean dialogue may in return churn mood of dialogue in the stage of international affairs. I trust the capability of Iranian diplomacy which stunned the world three years ago. Guarding the deal with sympathetic friends could be easier than making one in a hostile and enforcing atmosphere. Iran, seen outside by a diplomat of thirty years’ experience is much more influential than Iranians thought to be inside.
My stuff is already shipped away. The things I carry with are intangible. My deep indebtedness to Iranians, admiration for their maturity and thoughtfulness, their overdosed hospitality and kindness are fully loaded in my heart. If our two peoples’ hearts are to be charged like mine, heartfelt dialogue among us will expand and cultivate a full blown relation between Iran and Korea.

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IHS analyst Mike Howard said (viaComputerWorld) that in the unlikely case of a “major conflagration,” smartphone and tablet makers could face manufacturing issues, as they’ll have a hard time getting the much needed components from elsewhere, given that South Korean giants play a major role in the supply chain for said products.

Any type of manufacturing disruption of six months would prevent the shipment of hundreds of millions of mobile phones and tens of millions of PCs and media tablets.

South Korean companies are producing vast quantities of DRAM, NAND flash and tablet displays.

The components

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is used in computers, smartphones and tablets, with Samsung and SK Hynix bringing in a combined 66% of industry revenue in 2012. “Half of all global production” for DRAM comes from South Korea.

NAND flash (storage) memory, also found in various electronic devices including smartphones and tablets is also produced in large quantities in South Korea. Again, Samsung and SK Hynix are mentioned, having accounted for 48% of the industry revenue last year. Two-thirds of the world’s NAND flash supply comes from the region.

Finally, Samsung and LG are major players in the LCD display business, having shipped 49.6% “large-sized LCD panels” in Q4 2012, according to IHS. South Korea is responsible for 70% of the tablet display global supply.

Howard said that DRAM and/or NAND production “couldn’t be easily or quickly replaced” by companies in other regions, and while any short-term disruption “wouldn’t affect the display market as badly” – with production of said LCDs currently at a “high level” – it would still cripple the industry in case of longer disruptions.

The Android products

In addition to producing parts required for smarpthones and tablets, Samsung and LG are also important players in the mobile business, with the former estimated to ship over 320 million smartphones this year, and the later expected to sell around 50 million smartphones in 2013. Most of these smart devices would be Android-based. Furthermore Samsung also produces a significant number of Android tablets, with its models being among the popular Android tablets out there,according to a recent study.

While IHS focuses on supply concerns, we’ll also notice that a longer conflict would likely have an impact on other departments for these companies (R&D, marketing amont others), considering the vicinity of their headquarters to the border with North Korea. In a worst-case scenario the mobile industry could be even more seriously affected, with component shortages being just one piece of said puzzle.

Seoul, South Korea’s capital where Samsung and LG are headquartered, with SK Hynix also located close by, is only 30 miles away from the border with North Korea.

That said, such a conflagration in the Korean peninsula would have far greater effects in the world even though we’re only looking at what such a war would mean for smart gadget production right now, so we can only hope that we’ll never have to move past these extreme “what-ifs” scenarios for the region.

Source: androidauthority.com

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Former Iranian ambassador to North Korea Saeed Mohammadi says Tehran has advised Pyongyang that increasing tension in the region is not in anyone’s interest.

In an exclusive interview with Iran’sView, Mohammadi said in reaction to increasing economic problems and provocations from the U.S., North Korea is pursuing a strategy of ‘walking on the edge’ to have the U.S ease its pressures against the country.

“Constant economic and military threats, especially the US.-South Korean annual military drills only help to provoke North Korea and create more anger.”

“There is always the risk that N.Korea goes out of control, even though China has done its best to prevent a possible regional war,” he said.

An ongoing escalation of tensions between North Korea, South Korea and the United States began following North Korea’s launch of its Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 satellite on December 12, 2012, and latest round of US.-South Korean joint military drill in the peninsula. The crisis is marked by extreme escalation of rhetoric by the new North Korean administration under Kim Jong-un and its threats to attacks against South Korea and the United States with nuclear weapons.

In comparing the N.Korean situation to Iran’s, Mohammadi said N Korea’s case is completely different from Iran’s. “North Korea is not a signatory to the NPT and is armed with atomic bombs. The country is highly isolated while Iran, thanks to its geopolitical and cultural advantages, doesn’t need nuclear weapons as a deterrence tool.”

“Tehran and Pyongyang have had warm and constant relations during the last three decades and have cooperated on many scientific and economic fronts, but the policy of the two countries on the nuclear issue is different and Iran has never even wished for an atomic bomb,” Mohammadi said.

Mohammadi accused the U.S. of “pursuing provocative policies in the region and benefiting from tensions which seek to preserve its military presence in the region.”

“Hardening sanctions against N Korea despite promises that the US. made in the six party negotiations is a failure. The same story is true about talks with Iran,” he said. Adding Iran’s nuclear negotiations were close to a solution when a fuel-swap deal was signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil.

“Although the deal could have been a solution for the US. the country rejected it and Iran had to continue its program, producing 20% enriched uranium to meet its medical needs.”

Iran–North Korea’s diplomatic relations picked up following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the establishment of an Islamic Republic. Iran and North Korea pledge cooperation in educational, scientific, and cultural spheres.

After Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invasion of Iran, backed by the U.S, North Korea became one of Iran’s main weapons suppliers.

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