President Lee Jae-myung stated, "With the exception of two vessels that were unable to leave due to specific circumstances, all South Korean ships have cleared the Strait of Hormuz faster than those of any other nation."

During the Cabinet meeting he presided over at the Blue House, President Lee added, "One more ship is currently in the process of exiting, and it is reported that it has almost cleared the danger zone."

Previously, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced yesterday that two additional South Korean vessels had exited the Strait of Hormuz, leaving only three inside. It appears that further departures have followed since then.

President Lee expressed his appreciation, saying, "This is all thanks to the citizens who trusted the government and united their efforts, and it is the result of the hard work of officials from relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Intelligence Service."

However, he cautioned that "the crisis is not yet over," adding, "Even if the situation ends, it will take a considerable amount of time for the global economy to fully normalize."

He continued by urging, "We need more efficient and focused crisis management from a mid- to long-term perspective," and instructed, "Please solidify the emergency response system centered on the Cabinet, and continue to pursue long-term tasks such as diversifying energy and raw material supply chains without wavering."

(Photo: Blue House Photo Press Corps, Yonhap News)