During her time in Iran and in a wish to bolster bilateral relations, President Park continually showed her respect for Iranian history and traditions. She carried out all of her diplomatic acts during her journey to Iran while wearing a rusari head scarf. Wherever she went, she adhered to Iranian tradition by putting her hands on her chest instead of shaking hands with Iranian officials, including during the summit talks and at cultural events, as Iranian taboos ban any physical contact between men and women, except for family members.
President Park quoted from "Kush Nama," a Persian epic poem, and was able to recite lines from the famous Iranian poet Hafez, emphasizing the historic significance of the Korea-Iran relationship and the importance of cross-cultural communication and exchange.
She also showed her deep respect and strong interest in Iranian history and traditions, while appreciating the ancient Persian artifacts on display at the National Museum of Iran.
President Park Geun-hye waves as she departs the Seoul Air Base on May 1 to begin her state visit to Iran.
Park Geun-hye embraces an Iranian girl upon arriving in Tehran on May 1. The offering of a bouquet is an unprecedented act of hospitality from the Iranian government to a foreign head of state.
President Park Geun-hye (left) holds a summit and a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Sa'dabad Palace in Tehran on May 2.
President Park Geun-hye (left) meets Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran during her state visit to Iran on May 2.
President Park Geun-hye emphasizes the benefits of cross-cultural exchanges between Korea and Iran in her speech at the Korea-Iran One Heart Festival on May 2.
President Park Geun-hye enjoys a performance during the Korea-Iran One Heart Festival.
Korean and Iranian athletes demonstrate their taekwondo moves in the Korea-Iran One Heart Festival at the Milad Tower in Tehran on May 2. Taekwondo is so popular in Iran that more than 2 million people train in the martial art.
Korea's Contemporary Gugak Orchestra and Iran’s National Orchestra perform ‘Arirang Medley’ as part of the Korea-Iran One Heart Festival in Tehran on May 2, where both traditional and modern music from Korea and Iran were brought to the stage.
The audience at the Korea-Iran One Heart Festival enjoys a performance on May 2. Iranians showed great interest in the festival, as 2,500 people applied for tickets on the first day of ticket sales.
President Park Geun-hye (center) tours the Hansik Zone at the K-Culture Exhibit at the Milad Tower in Tehran on May 2. She underscored the importance of the exhibit by saying that, ‘Making kimchi with ingredients like tomatoes and onions, which Iranians can find quite easily, shows that our two culinary traditions are quite compatible.’
President Park Geun-hye (left) talks with Iranian youth who are wearing traditional Korean Hanbok attire at the K-Culture Exhibit in Tehran on May 2.
A group of Iranian university students check out the kimchi on display at the K-Culture Exhibit at the Milad Tower in Tehran on May 2. A range of kimchi was on display, including varieties that used tomatoes, onions and pomegranates.
Members of Pracles, an Iranian online community that covers Korean pop culture, pose for a picture during a screening of Korean TV shows in Tehran.
The audience participates in a quiz about Korean TV shows during a screening in Tehran on May 2. Korean soap operas are really popular in Iran and dramas like ‘Jewel in the Palace’ and ‘Jumong’ regularly see ratings of over 80 percent in the country.
President Park Geun-hye said that businesspeople from Korea and Iran can take a new leap forward together, at the Iran-Korea Business Forum on May 3 in Tehran.
President Park Geun-hye (center) inspects some of the artifacts on display at the National Museum of Iran during her state visit to Tehran on May 3.
President Park Geun-hye is bid goodbye by an honor guard (top) and waves to the crowd (bottom) in Tehran as she departs for Seoul on May 3, wrapping up her state visit to Iran.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae, Jeon Han Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr
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