[정치]Delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched soon…Iran ambassador to protest

[앵커]

After the Iranian Revolutionary Guard captured our ship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that after dispatching a local consul, it would soon send a working delegation to negotiate for a safe return.

The Iranian ambassador to Korea also called and expressed regret for the incident and demanded that the detention be lifted as soon as possible.

Connect with reporters. Reporter Kim Do-won!

The working-level delegation to lift the detention of ships and crew members is leaving for Iran?

[기자]

A working-level delegation headed by the Asia-Middle East Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gyeong-seok Ko, who is in charge of the Iranian region, is dispatched.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said the delegation will depart in the earliest possible time and will try to resolve the issue locally through consular negotiations.

In addition to this incident, Vice Minister Choi Jong-Geon said he will visit Iran on the 10th according to the schedule he has previously discussed, and that the issue of vessel detention will be discussed here as well.

Listen to Spokesman Choi’s explanation.

[최영삼 / 외교부 대변인 : 기계획된 최종건 차관의 방문은 물론 이번에 급파하는 지역국장 실무대표단, 현지 외교채널 등 여러가지 노력을 총동원해서 이 문제가 최대한 조기에 해결될 수 있도록 최선을 다해 노력하고자 합니다.]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea this afternoon, Said Shavestari, expressed regret over the incident and demanded that the ship be released as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on several occasions that Iran should not be concerned about the safety of the crew.

[앵커]

Iran explained that it was arrested for environmental pollution, but there are many views that it has other intentions. What is the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

[기자]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Iran has emphasized that the incident is simply a technical issue.

Iran’s ambassador to Korea said he would cooperate to resolve the problem as early as possible.

There are observations that this case is related to the 7.6 trillion won of Iran’s won funds, which Korea has frozen due to US sanctions.

Iran has denied that intention, and a senior foreign ministry official explained.

We also added that Iran has requested that the relevant evidence be provided as much as it is alleging the issue of environmental pollution.

Basically, Korea and Iran are trying to solve this problem diplomatically, but depending on the situation, they open up various possibilities, including communication with the United States.

[앵커]

Choi Young-ham of the Cheonghae unit was dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz and is carrying out a mission?

[기자]

It is known that the Cheonghae unit arrived in the waters near the Strait of Hormuz at around 3 a.m. today and started performing missions.

Choi Young-ham was dispatched near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday after receiving the situation that the Korean national ship, the Korea Chemi, was captured by Iran during an operation in the waters south of Muscat Port in Oman.

Choi plans to respond to the situation in close cooperation with the Combined Naval Command in Bahrain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

On average, about 6 Korean merchant ships sail through the Strait of Hormuz a day, and it is known that the Cheonghae Unit was in charge of safe navigation of these ships as well.

Inside and outside the military, it seems that this issue is not basically a military issue.

In the end, amid the possibility that the aftermath of the U.S.-Iran conflict led to the capture of our vessels, attention is paid to whether the situation can be resolved early.

This is Dowon Kim, YTN from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]