Twenty-six Stranded Korean Ships Likely to Resume Operations After Transit Safety Is Confirmed [US–Iran Two-Week Truce]

With news that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will be lifted for two weeks, the government has mobilized all available diplomatic channels to assess the situation. On the 8th, the United States of America (US) and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, and the Iranian government announced that passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed during the truce. However, the 26 Korean vessels currently stranded there are expected to resume operations only after the safety of navigation has been fully verified.
An official at Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) stated, "With the ceasefire agreement creating conditions for the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the government plans to accelerate consultations with shipping companies and communication with relevant countries so that our vessels can pass through as soon as possible." The official added, "Since the Iranian side has said it will resume transit in coordination with its military and in light of technical constraints, we are closely examining the specific methods and conditions of passage through communication with the countries concerned." The official went on to say, "We will also swiftly review all necessary matters, including the list of vessels that need to transit, in close consultation with the shipping companies."
Through consultations among ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, the government plans to decide whether the 26 isolated vessels can safely pass. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea has begun gathering information via diplomatic channels with various countries. It has been coordinating the possible resumption of operations while communicating with Japan, France, Iran and others. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), about 2,000 ships worldwide are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, with more than 20,000 crew members on board. Vessels from Japan, France, China, India, Thailand, Southeast Asia and other regions are among those trapped.
Of the 26 Korean ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, only seven are oil tankers operated by domestic refiners. These seven tankers are reported to be carrying about 14 million barrels of crude oil. Four of the seven are operated by Korean shipping companies. There are no liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers among the stranded vessels.
In a statement released the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea said, "The government hopes that the free navigation of all vessels, including our own, in the Strait of Hormuz will be restored quickly and safely, and will continue communication and consultations with the countries concerned to that end." However, it did not present a specific position on the movement of the stranded Korean ships.
Differing interpretations among countries over when the ceasefire takes effect have also complicated matters. Some argue that the truce took effect immediately after the agreement was reached, while others contend it will begin only after the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.
An official at the White House told Axios, an online US media outlet, that the ceasefire would take effect as soon as the Strait of Hormuz is opened.
Donald John Trump, President of the United States, also wrote on Truth Social, "On the condition that Iran agrees to the full, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks."
By contrast, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the truce, said on X (formerly Twitter), "Iran and the United States, together with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire in all areas of the [Middle East] region, including Lebanon," adding, "This measure takes effect immediately."
The New York Times (NYT), citing three Iranian officials, reported that "Iran has accepted the two-week ceasefire proposal, and Ayatollah Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has approved it." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also stated that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible for the two-week period.


cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun, Kim Kyung-soo Reporter