Five More South Korean Vessels Pass Through Strait of Hormuz; 13 Remain

[Anchor]

Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end hostilities between the United States and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has been reopened, allowing South Korean vessels to pass through one after another. Five additional ships passed through today (June 25), leaving 13 still waiting to exit.

Reporter Choi Go-un has the story.

[Reporter]

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that five vessels operated by South Korean companies, which had been waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz, have successfully passed through the strait and are now sailing normally.

With the Strait of Hormuz opened for free passage for 60 days following the U.S.-Iran agreement to end hostilities, a procession of ships has been exiting the area. A total of nine South Korean vessels have now cleared the strait over the past two days.

There are 21 South Korean crew members aboard the five vessels that passed through this time.

One of these ships is currently heading toward South Korea, while the other four are moving toward their original destinations in other countries.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has not disclosed specific details such as the transit routes, names of the shipping companies, or names of the vessels, citing the safety and security of the crew and the companies.

It is reported that the vessels that have exited so far did so safely by using the routes designated by Iran.

As a result, the number of South Korean vessels waiting inside the strait has decreased to 13, and there are 87 South Korean crew members remaining across both South Korean and foreign vessels.

Of the 13 remaining ships, 12 are preparing for transit in accordance with consultations with relevant countries and the companies' own plans. This excludes the HMM cargo ship Namu, which is currently undergoing repairs after its hull was damaged last month by an anti-ship missile believed to have been fired from the Iranian side.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is assisting in the establishment of navigation plans by checking essential supplies for resuming voyages, such as food, ship supplies, and fuel, and by providing information on transit trends to help the remaining vessels pass through.

The government stated that it will mobilize all available diplomatic resources to ensure that all remaining vessels can pass through the strait as soon as possible.

[Video Editing: Kim Byeong-jik]
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.