Overview
- South Korea’s special envoy, Chung Byung-ha, met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran to urge safe transit for Korean-linked ships and protection for nationals.
- Seoul says 26 South Korea-related vessels with 173 Korean crew are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, and about 40 Korean nationals remain in Iran.
- Araghchi defended Iran’s closure of the strait as a security measure and said those causing the conflict bear responsibility for any fallout.
- Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signaled the waterway would stay shut and Iranian authorities said they had seized two cargo ships for inspection after reported attacks on multiple vessels.
- Seoul is leaning on sustained diplomacy that includes March and April ministerial calls, a long-running envoy presence since March 11, data-sharing with Iran and the U.S., and $500,000 in Red Cross aid, as the strait’s status threatens a key global energy route and keeps crews stuck at sea.