Government Establishes 'Middle East Economic Cooperation Task Force' Within Foreign Ministry... "Proactive Post-War Preparation"

Cho Hyun: "Arranging a Phone Call with Iranian Foreign Minister"

On June 22, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun announced, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established the 'Korea-Middle East Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Team' to facilitate the participation of Korean companies in postwar recovery efforts in the Middle East and to formulate plans for comprehensive and integrated economic cooperation with the region following the end of the Iran war."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. The Asia Business Daily

Minister Cho made this statement during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, Government Complex Seoul Annex, adding, "We have been proactively preparing for the postwar period even before the possibility of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Iran was raised."

Minister Cho emphasized, "Even during this war, our government has solidified the perception among Middle Eastern countries that Korea is a reliable partner who will stand with them in difficult times." He added, "Based on this trust, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strengthen cooperation with relevant ministries to further advance Korea-Middle East relations."

In relation to this, a high-ranking government official stated, "Once the (Iran) war ends, the Middle East will face not only recovery from damages in the region but also complex issues such as post-oil industrialization." The official explained, "This task force (TF) is intended to review and preemptively discuss how to collaborate with the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Iraq, Iran, and others." However, they noted, "We have not yet made any progress regarding the reconstruction fund."

The official further stated, "Participation in the reconstruction fund is still at a preliminary stage of discussion," and added, "We have not received any formal requests on this matter."

Regarding the possibility that Iran and others may impose transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, the government clarified its stance of non-acceptance. The official stressed, "Our fundamental position is that transit fees should not be imposed on international straits, and we will continue consultations based on this principle."

Meanwhile, concerning the passage of Korean vessels currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, Minister Cho stated, "As of this morning, with two Korean vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a total of 22 ships remain in the strait." He added, "We are currently coordinating to arrange a phone call with (Seyyed Abbas) Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister."

With regard to the HMM Namu-ho attack incident in May, it has been reported that the government is prioritizing discussions on the passage of the remaining vessels rather than raising the attack issue with Iran. A high-ranking official said, "As the war draws to a close, the immediate priority is for the remaining 22 ships in the strait to depart and to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz going forward."

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