S. Korea-operated vessel passing through Strait of Hormuz: foreign minister
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday a vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company was currently passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which, if successful, would mark the first such case involving a Korea-managed ship since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war.
"At this very moment, a South Korean oil tanker is exiting the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the Iranian side," Cho said during a parliamentary committee session in Seoul.
"Consultations with Iranian authorities were completed, and the vessel began sailing yesterday. It is passing through the strait very cautiously," the minister said, adding that the tanker was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil.
According to ministry officials, the vessel, which had been stranded near the strategic waterway since late February, began sailing in waters near Qatar on Tuesday after receiving passage approval from Iran a day earlier and is expected to enter the Gulf of Oman late Wednesday via the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 20 crew members, including fewer than 10 South Koreans, are aboard the vessel, which is sailing along a route designated by Iran, according to the officials. No transit fee has been paid to the Iranian side.
While officials declined to disclose the name of the vessel operator, citing safety and security concerns, Bloomberg earlier reported that the vessel was a crude oil tanker operated by South Korean shipping company HMM Co. and was signaling the South Korean port city of Ulsan as its destination.
The planned passage came about two weeks after a Panama-flagged cargo ship, the HMM Namu, was struck by two unidentified flying objects, causing an explosion and a fire, and leaving one of the vessel's 24 crew members with minor injuries.
The Seoul government is carrying out an in-depth analysis of engine debris recovered from the objects to identify their nature and those responsible for the incident.
If the passage is completed safely, the number of South Korea-operated vessels stranded near the strait will fall to 25, including the HMM Namu, which is currently undergoing repairs in the United Arab Emirates. Iran has effectively restricted passage through the waterway amid the conflict.
"Iran's approval was unrelated to the attack on the HMM Namu, as we have long been in discussions with Iran regarding the safe passage of our vessels through the Strait of Hormuz," a ministry official said. "Such consultations will continue until all of our vessels clear the waterway."
On Sunday, Cho held phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and the two sides agreed to continue consultations regarding the safety of South Korean vessels and crew members in the strait, the ministry said.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 1:27 AM.