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| Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Choi Young-sam is giving a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 5th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2021.1.5/News1 © News1 Reporter Kim Myung-seop |
Iran detained the Korean national ship’Korea Chemie’ while sailing in the Strait of Hormuz. The government plans to proceed with negotiations with the Iranian side by dispatching a working delegation to Iran, headed by Go Gyeong-seok, head of the African Middle East Bureau.
Regarding the Korean government’s response to the detention of Korean ships at a regular briefing on the 5th, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Choi Young-sam said, “There is a situation where the consul in charge of the Iranian embassy has been dispatched to the ship location. It will be dispatched to the Iranian region and proceed with bilateral negotiations with Iran.”
Spokesperson Choi said, “At the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are working to resolve the problem early by operating diplomatic channels in Seoul and Iran, as well as internal countermeasures meetings and related agency councils as much as possible.” We are in close communication and cooperation with the authorities,” he explained.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the afternoon of the previous day, the Korean chemical carrier’Korea Chemi’, which was sailing in the waters near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, moved to Iranian waters at the request of the Iranian authorities to investigate. The government estimates that the vessel entered the port of Bandar Abbas, Iran.
A total of 20 sailors were aboard the ship, including five Korean citizens and Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. “We are continuing our efforts to ensure their safety through diplomatic communication with Iran,” said Choi. “High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and the Iranian Ambassador to Korea are not having to worry about the safety issues of sailors.” Said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Iran in order to confirm the safety of the crew, as well as to understand the detailed situation related to the detention of our vessels, and request the removal of the early detention of the vessel. The military is also responding to the situation by dispatching Choi Young, the 33rd camp of the Cheonghae Corps, to the Strait of Hormuz.
On the afternoon of the 4th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local diplomatic missions abroad immediately operated the Countermeasure Headquarters for Protection of Overseas Koreans and the on-site command group, and held a countermeasure meeting with related organizations and a countermeasure meeting within the prefecture. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa also directly presided over the countermeasures headquarters meeting from 1:30 pm on the same day.
The government plans to investigate the facts in cooperation with related organizations while reviewing legal issues as necessary. In addition, it will seek solutions by communicating not only with Iran but also with the related international community.
Iran heard marine pollution as a reason for detaining ships, but an analysis was raised that it was to pressure South Korea to pay for the frozen crude oil exports. Some interpret it as a measure to improve Iran’s bargaining power with the United States with the aim of restoring Iran’s nuclear negotiations and easing sanctions at the time of the US administration change.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also promote a visit to Iran by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-Geon, regardless of the detention case. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vice Minister Choi is scheduled to visit Iran on a schedule of 3 days and 2 nights from the 10th.
Spokesman Choi said, “If you visit Iran, there will be wide consultations on issues of joint interest between Korea and Iran,” he said. “I think there will be an exchange of opinions on the recent ship detention issue.”