▲ The Universal Winner, the first South Korean oil tanker to exit the Strait of Hormuz
Two South Korean vessels have exited the Strait of Hormuz following an end-of-war agreement between the United States and Iran to open the waterway.
This marks the first instance of South Korean ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz since the agreement was reached.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated on Monday (the 22nd) that "two vessels operated by a South Korean shipping company, which had been waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz, have passed through the strait and are currently sailing normally."
It is reported that while these ships are operated by a South Korean firm, there are no South Korean crew members on board, and their destination is not South Korea.
The ministry added, "The vessels have not yet completely cleared the danger zone," and requested understanding that "specific information regarding the transit, such as the shipping company and vessel names, cannot be disclosed out of consideration for the safety of the crew and the position of the shipping company."
Their departure from the Strait of Hormuz follows the end-of-war agreement between the U.S. and Iran.
Article 5 of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on ending the war between the two countries stipulates that upon signing, Iran will take measures to allow the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz without transit fees for 60 days.
Following this, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) of Iran began accepting applications for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and shipping companies operating South Korean vessels stranded in the strait also submitted their applications.
With the departure of these two vessels, the number of South Korean ships remaining in the Strait of Hormuz has decreased to 22.
When the strait was blockaded at the end of February, there were 26 South Korean vessels inside. However, one oil tanker and one liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier had already exited following consultations with the Iranian side, leaving 24 ships at the time the end-of-war agreement was reached.
Currently, there are a total of 135 South Korean crew members within the Strait of Hormuz.
This figure includes 102 people aboard South Korean vessels and 33 on foreign-flagged ships.
Following the U.S.-Iran agreement, it is expected that South Korean vessels will continue to exit the strait sequentially, starting with the two that departed this time.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries emphasized, "We are supporting safe operations by providing information related to the strait's transit and conducting real-time monitoring to ensure the safe passage of our vessels."
Uncertainties remain as the situation in the Middle East is still unstable.
On the 20th, the Iranian military announced it would blockade the Strait of Hormuz again, citing Israel's airstrikes in southern Lebanon.
Follow-up negotiations for the end-of-war agreement are also facing friction in various areas.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.