Iran has been waiting for months for the ROK to pay the $7B they owe from oil sales because of US sanctions. And on January 4th this year, Iran seized a South Korean oil tanker, citing environmental violations.

What’s going on between the two countries? https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/iran-tells-south-korea-not-to-politicise-seized-vessel--demands-release-of-funds-13934108

South Korea and Iran have a long history of strong diplomatic and trade relationships. Until 2019, South Korea was one of Iran’s top trading partners. As one of the world’s top 5 oil importers, South Korea gets 70% of its crude oil from Persian Gulf shipping lanes.

In 2018, the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed comprehensive sanctions on Iran.

South Korea was exempt from these sanctions at first because it was given a waiver, but in 2019 the waiver was not renewed.

Because the US dollar is the world’s primary trade and reserve currency, the US can make banks outside its borders obey its sanctions under threat of taking away their ability to conduct any international transactions.

US sanctions have devastated Iran’s economy.

Iran is currently banned from trading in US dollars. This means Iran can only trade with the EU and China, which accept other currencies.

Iran is seeking the $7 billion in unpaid money from the ROK in order to purchase vaccines.

South Korea didn't create US sanctions, but it isn't blameless.

Last year South Korea deployed warships to the Strait of Hormuz in response to US pressure. South Korea has been an accomplice in imperialist aggression against Iran, & joined other US wars in the region after 9/11

The neocolonial US-ROK relationship constrains South Korea’s foreign policy—but that relationship is weaker than ever before. More and more, South Koreans are questioning the US-ROK relationship.

It’s time for South Korea to delink from the US.