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| Go Gyeong-seok, head of the Middle East African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is answering questions from reporters before leaving the country to discuss the issue of ships and crew detained in Iran on the night of the 6th. The working-level delegation plans to conduct bilateral negotiations with the Iranian side on the issue of lifting the detention of 20 sailors, including the chemical carrier’Korea Chemie’ and 5 Korean citizens, in Iran. 2021.1.6/News1 © News1 Reporter Yoo Seung-gwan |
A government working-level delegation to discuss the issue of ships and crew detained in Iran left for Iran on the 7th.
The delegation headed by Go Gyeong-seok, head of the Africa Middle East Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, departed from Incheon International Airport this morning. They plan to arrive in Tehran, Iran via Doha, Qatar.
Director Ko met with reporters at the airport before departure and said, “If we can help solve the ship detention problem, such as the counter part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the counter part of the Humanitarian Trade Working Group, we will meet through various routes.”
“We will also discuss ways to expand and develop bilateral relations between Korea and Iran,” he suggested, suggesting that we will also discuss ways to purchase vaccines with Iranian frozen funds frozen in Korea.
The delegation’s trip to Iran was due to the conclusion of consultations between the diplomatic authorities of Korea and Iran.
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said, “This is a technical and legal area, so diplomatic visits are not necessary,” and “the visit schedule was not agreed,” and the possibility of delaying departure was also discussed.
The delegation plans to conduct bilateral negotiations with the Iranian side on the issue of lifting the detention of 20 sailors including five Korean citizens and the chemical carrier’Korea Chemie’ in Iran.
The delegation is expected to confirm the facts, such as requesting specific grounds for violations of environmental regulations alleged by Iran, and to support the crew if judicial proceedings proceed.
Employees of the Korean Embassy in Iran, dispatched from Tehran, arrived at the port the day before to check the safety of the people and are known to have provided necessary consular assistance.
Choi Jong-Geon, the first Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, also plans to visit Iran on a two-night, three-day schedule starting from the 10th to discuss the issue of detaining ships and the price of Iranian crude oil frozen in Korea.