(LEAD) FM says to send special envoy to Iran to address Middle East situation after U.S.-Iran ceasefire
Yonhap News
Kim Seung-yeon
KO
2026-04-09 11:08
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send a special envoy to Iran to addr...
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with details from FMs' phone talks) By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send a special envoy to Iran to address issues related to the Middle East conflict, the foreign ministry said Thursday, following the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun made the remark during his phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, as Seoul has been weighing measures to best address the 26 South Korea-related vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blocked by Iran, including ways to secure their passage through the vital waterway responsible for 20 percent of global energy supply.
"Minister Cho announced the decision to dispatch a special envoy to Iran to discuss the situation in the Middle East, and bilateral issues between South Korea and Iran," the ministry said in a release.
Cho also stressed that, in light of the ceasefire, the free navigation of all vessels, including Korean ships, in the region must be resumed promptly and safely, the ministry said. "The minister asked for continued attention to ensuring the safety of Korean nationals in Iran."
Araghchi explained Iran's position regarding the current situation in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz, agreeing to maintain close communication with Seoul on the matter, according to Seoul's ministry.
Thursday's phone talks were the second of its kind between Cho and Araghchi in just over two weeks. They came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the two-week ceasefire agreed with Tehran.
In the phone talks, Cho also noted that the recent ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran provides an opportunity to pave the way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"He expressed hope that negotiations between the two sides will be successfully concluded, leading to the swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East," the ministry said.
Regarding the stranded Korea-related ships, a foreign ministry official said earlier the priority is to identify the conditions Iran has put forward with regard to the passage.
"We will need to clarify the specific criteria or conditions Iran has in mind for passage through the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "Whether any conditions actually exist, or whether the U.S. and Iran have agreed to allow transit without conditions. That will need to be confirmed before we can decide on measures regarding the vessels."
In a statement released by Araghchi earlier, safe passage through the strait will be possible for the two-week period through "coordination" with Iran's military and with "due consideration of technical limitations," if attacks against Tehran are stopped.
"We are consulting with shipping firms and communicating with relevant countries on measures for the passage of South Korean vessels, taking into account both that the ceasefire has created conditions for resuming the transit and that the situation still remains fluid," Park Il, ministry spokesperson, said in a press briefing.
elly@yna.co.kr(END)
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will send a special envoy to Iran to address issues related to the Middle East conflict, the foreign ministry said Thursday, following the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun made the remark during his phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, as Seoul has been weighing measures to best address the 26 South Korea-related vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blocked by Iran, including ways to secure their passage through the vital waterway responsible for 20 percent of global energy supply.
"Minister Cho announced the decision to dispatch a special envoy to Iran to discuss the situation in the Middle East, and bilateral issues between South Korea and Iran," the ministry said in a release.
Cho also stressed that, in light of the ceasefire, the free navigation of all vessels, including Korean ships, in the region must be resumed promptly and safely, the ministry said. "The minister asked for continued attention to ensuring the safety of Korean nationals in Iran."
Araghchi explained Iran's position regarding the current situation in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz, agreeing to maintain close communication with Seoul on the matter, according to Seoul's ministry.
Thursday's phone talks were the second of its kind between Cho and Araghchi in just over two weeks. They came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the two-week ceasefire agreed with Tehran.
In the phone talks, Cho also noted that the recent ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran provides an opportunity to pave the way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"He expressed hope that negotiations between the two sides will be successfully concluded, leading to the swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East," the ministry said.
Regarding the stranded Korea-related ships, a foreign ministry official said earlier the priority is to identify the conditions Iran has put forward with regard to the passage.
"We will need to clarify the specific criteria or conditions Iran has in mind for passage through the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "Whether any conditions actually exist, or whether the U.S. and Iran have agreed to allow transit without conditions. That will need to be confirmed before we can decide on measures regarding the vessels."
In a statement released by Araghchi earlier, safe passage through the strait will be possible for the two-week period through "coordination" with Iran's military and with "due consideration of technical limitations," if attacks against Tehran are stopped.
"We are consulting with shipping firms and communicating with relevant countries on measures for the passage of South Korean vessels, taking into account both that the ceasefire has created conditions for resuming the transit and that the situation still remains fluid," Park Il, ministry spokesperson, said in a press briefing.
elly@yna.co.kr(END)