Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Says "Requested Information on Korean Vessels in Hormuz"... Foreign Ministry Denies Receiving Request

The Iranian Ambassador to South Korea stated that he had requested information from the Korean government regarding Korean vessels stranded in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, "No such request has been received."

The Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman. Photo by Yonhap News

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at the Government Complex Seoul on the 26th, "There have been no bilateral consultations regarding the transit of the vessels," clarifying the situation.

Regarding this matter, the official explained, "During the phone call between the Korean and Iranian foreign ministers, we requested that Iran pay attention to any humanitarian issues that may arise, such as depletion of supplies, for Korean vessels anchored in the strait." The intent was to ask the Iranian side to cooperate with safety measures should any humanitarian situation occur aboard Korean vessels within the Strait of Hormuz.

Previously, Saeed Koozehchi, the Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, said on CBS Radio’s "Park Sungtae’s News Show" that "we requested the provision of technical information on the Korean vessels in advance," adding, "This is to facilitate coordination and review by the Iranian military and relevant authorities, so that passage through the Strait of Hormuz can be permitted."

Additionally, at a press conference held at the Iranian Embassy in Seoul the same day, the ambassador stated, "Korea is considered a non-hostile country," but also emphasized, "Transit through the Strait of Hormuz is only possible with coordination with the Iranian government and military, and such an agreement must be reached in advance." He added, "We are at war, and sanctioning U.S. and Israeli companies is Iran’s right to self-defense." This implies that the passage of Korean vessels engaged in transactions with the United States may be restricted.

According to the Financial Times (FT) of the UK, on the 24th, the Iranian government sent a letter to the United Nations (UN) Security Council and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) stating that "vessels of other participating countries involved in the aggression do not qualify for non-hostile passage."

Currently, due to the Iranian blockade, it is known that 26 Korean vessels and 178 Korean crew members are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

In response, Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing that day, "The issue of the Strait of Hormuz is a complex matter involving the future course of events, trends in U.S.-Iran negotiations, the positions of relevant countries, and discussions within the international community, including the UN and IMO." He added, "The government will closely monitor all related factors and make every effort to ensure the safety of our vessels and crew members."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.