A Korean ship that had been stranded due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Middle East war has, for the first time, safely exited the Red Sea.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 17th that a Korean ship that loaded crude oil at Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia safely exited the Red Sea.
This is the first case of transporting crude oil to Korea via the Red Sea, an alternate route, after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked.
The Red Sea is a base of operations for Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, and authorities are advising against navigation due to risks such as ship attacks.
Since a military clash between Israel and Hamas in Oct. 2023, there have been 79 ship attacks.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) supported the safety of the crew and the vessel by providing navigation safety information and operating real-time communication channels with the ship and the shipping company while monitoring the voyage in real time around the clock as the ship sailed through the Red Sea.
At the 14th Cabinet meeting and the 4th emergency economic response meeting on the 6th, the government discussed a plan to secure crude oil while monitoring the safety of Korean ships using the Red Sea, an alternate route to the Strait of Hormuz.
Minister Hwang Jong-u of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said, "Going forward, while considering the safety of our ships and crew, we will do our best to ensure that domestic transport of crude oil by our ships from the Middle East proceeds without a hitch, in cooperation with relevant agencies and the industry."