South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Monday urged Iran to ensure the safety of vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which a large share of global energy supplies pass. The appeal came in a telephone conversation with Iran’s foreign minister amid heightened tensions in the region following the war between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, Cho called on Tehran to guarantee secure and uninterrupted navigation for merchant ships that remain in the strait and to refrain from actions that could threaten civilian vessels. South Korea has a significant number of its own commercial ships in the area, and officials have expressed concern for their crews’ safety.
The diplomatic outreach comes as maritime traffic through the Strait has plunged and Iran’s military forces have issued warnings and restrictions on vessel passage amid ongoing hostilities. Ensuring safe shipping has become a priority for South Korea given its heavy reliance on Middle Eastern energy imports transiting the strait.
Seoul’s démarche also reflects broader international efforts to prevent further disruption to global trade and energy markets, even as countries continue to weigh responses to the evolving security situation in the Gulf region.
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