A special envoy from South Korea to Iran is expected to discuss the safe passage of South Korean ships through the Strait of Hormuz, following a ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Iranian government, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday (10).
South Korea is , playing a central role in the Indo-Pacific security strategy and housing some 28,000 American troops stationed to combat threats from North Korea.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry appointed Chung Byung-ha, its representative for cooperation and former ambassador to Kuwait, as special envoy following a phone call the previous day between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The special envoy plans to travel to Tehran in the coming days, according to the ministry.
During the visit, Seoul hopes to “exchange views with Iran on the situation in the Middle East and discuss the security of our citizens, vessels and crews, as well as issues related to the passage of all ships,” the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea currently has 26 vessels, including oil tankers, . Executives and analysts from shipping companies say the uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire still makes the crossing very risky.
Earlier, Cho Hyun had stated through social media that, in the phone call with Araghchi, he emphasized “the need for a rapid and safe resumption of free navigation for all ships, including ours, in the country.”
This evening, I had my second phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, following last month, and exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East.
I welcome the recent ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, which provides an opportunity to resume traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and that negotiations between the two countries have been successful…
— Minister of Foreign Affairs FM Cho Hyun (@FMChoHyun)
