Most Korean ships that had been stuck in the Strait of Hormuz due to the Middle East war have left the strait following the U.S.-Iran cease-fire agreement, effectively shifting the crisis into a resolution phase.
However, with tensions between the United States and Iran not fully resolved, the government is continuing to manage the situation for the remaining ships.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 28th, two additional Korean ships that had stayed in the Strait of Hormuz passed through the strait the previous day, leaving only three Korean ships currently inside the strait.
Among them, the HMM-operated vessel Namu, which is under repair at Dubai Port, is expected to be able to depart in mid next month or later. The other two ships are also expected to leave the strait as soon as they complete loading and related work.
Effectively, all Korean ships, except those with special circumstances, have left the strait. It has been about four months since the outbreak of the Middle East war at the end of February.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also said in a text notice that "all ships operated by our carrier that planned to transit have now left the strait."
As ships from various countries are leaving the strait one after another following the cease-fire agreement, Korean ships are seen to have withdrawn relatively quickly. At the time the war broke out, 26 Korean ships were in the Strait of Hormuz, and they were effectively isolated there along with about 2,000 ships from around the world.
The government immediately activated an emergency response system. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) operated an emergency task force and a 24-hour situation room, holding daily meetings even on weekends to check ship operations.
The most tense moment came on the 4th of last month, when the Namu was attacked. The incident occurred while the United States was pushing what it called a "liberation project" to evacuate ships trapped in the strait, and a government probe found the Namu had been hit by an Iranian anti-ship missile. Although the Namu was partially damaged by the strike, there were no casualties among Korean crew members who had stayed in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), during this war period about 40 ships from various countries in the Strait of Hormuz came under missile attack, and 14 crew members were killed. Korean ship crew members, except for those who disembarked due to contract expiration, mostly remained on board and carried out their duties normally despite being stuck in the strait for an extended period.
Among the Korean ships that left the strait after the cease-fire agreement, three are currently bound for Korea. Of these, the HMM tanker Universal Glory, carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil, is scheduled to arrive at Yeosu Port in mid next month.
An official at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said, "We will not let our guard down and will manage the situation until all three Korean ships still remaining in the Strait of Hormuz have left the strait."