President Lee Welcomes US-Iran Ceasefire Deal, Hopes for Regional Stability

SEOUL/ROME, June 15 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Monday welcomed a ceasefire deal reached between the United States and Iran, expressing hope it will help restore regional stability and allow vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to resume safe operations.

In a post on X, Lee described the agreement as "an important step" toward resolving a situation the international community has long sought to address and praised U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership, as well as the diplomatic efforts of the parties involved and other relevant countries.

"Through this agreement, I look forward to the swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East, and the establishment of a foundation for the safety and prosperity of the people of the region," Lee said in the post written while visiting Italy, part of his first European tour since taking office in June last year.

He also expressed hope that global energy supplies will stabilize and that all vessels, including South Korean ships and sailors affected by navigation restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, will be able to safely resume operations as soon as possible.

Earlier in the day, the presidential office welcomed the ceasefire deal, but said it should wait and see whether the agreement could immediately lead to a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"It is something we welcome," a senior South Korean presidential official said, calling the agreement "progress in the right direction."

"It is, particularly, more meaningful to us in that the agreement included an opening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of it," the official noted.

But it remains to be seen whether the deal could facilitate an immediate reopening of the strait, the official also said, adding that further negotiations on nuclear issues could affect the ceasefire agreement.