Eight South Korean Ships Escape Strait of Hormuz... "Three More Expected This Weekend"

[Anchor]

Eight additional South Korean ships remaining in the Strait of Hormuz have successfully exited the area. President Lee Jae-myung stated that, with the exception of vessels that must remain on-site, all other ships are expected to clear the strait by this weekend.

Reporter Hong Yeongjae has the story.

[Reporter]

This is the route taken by a domestic chemical tanker that exited the Strait of Hormuz yesterday afternoon (June 25).

The vessel passed through the strait following the route south of Larak Island, designated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and headed toward the Gulf of Oman.

With these eight additional ships clearing the Strait of Hormuz, 37 South Korean crew members have finally been released from four months of isolation.

[Official from a shipping company that escaped the Strait of Hormuz: We received notification from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' PGSA maritime authority stating, 'Passage is permitted and approved, so proceed with safe navigation.']

There are currently five South Korean ships still remaining inside the strait, including the Namu-ho, operated by HMM, which is undergoing repairs in Dubai.

A total of 47 South Korean crew members remain, including 30 who are on board foreign-flagged vessels.

President Lee Jae-myung shared the news of the ships' escape on social media, stating, "Excluding the Namu-ho, which is under repair, and vessels that have expressed an intention to remain due to cargo issues, the remaining three ships are expected to exit within the weekend."

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated again following reports that a Singaporean-flagged vessel, which had chosen a route near Oman, was attacked by an Iranian drone.

Iranian government agencies stated via social media that they "cannot guarantee safety if the routes designated by Iran are not used," and the International Maritime Organization, which was overseeing the evacuation operation, has temporarily suspended its evacuation plan.

This raised concerns that the escape of South Korean ships might face setbacks, but it is reported that our vessels are using safe routes that have been coordinated through discussions with the Iranian side.

(Video Editing: Lee Seung-yeol, Design: Seo Hyun-joong)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.