Half of Stranded South Korean Vessels Exit Strait of Hormuz

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Half of the South Korean vessels stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict have successfully exited the strategic waterway, raising expectations that the remaining ships could soon follow, officials said Thursday.

A total of 13 South Korean vessels had transited the strait as of Thursday morning, accounting for half of the 26 ships that had been trapped inside the waterway since the conflict between the United States and Iran began in late February, according to foreign ministry officials.

The pace of transit has accelerated since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week aimed at ending their conflict and reopening the strait. Eleven out of the 13 South Korean vessels cleared the waterway over the past three days alone.

Currently, 13 South Korean vessels remain inside the strait. There are 54 crew members aboard South Korean-flagged ships and 33 South Koreans serving on foreign vessels in the area.

"The continued safe passage of vessels has raised expectations that the long-standing transit issue may soon be resolved, barring any deterioration in the security situation or other external factors," a ministry official told reporters.

The official noted that South Korean ships have been moving through the strait at a relatively faster pace than vessels from some other countries, attributing it in part to Seoul's continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran throughout the conflict.

"Since the outbreak of the war, South Korea and Iran have maintained communication through various diplomatic channels, including four phone talks between their foreign ministers and the dispatch of a special envoy to Iran," the official said.

According to estimates compiled by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other maritime bodies, around 30 vessels are currently passing through the Strait of Hormuz each day.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 ships were believed to have been in or around the waterway at the height of the war, with roughly 500 seeking passage.

Officials said the timing of the departure of the remaining South Korean vessels may vary depending on insurance coverage and operational decisions by individual shipping companies, among other factors.