Only three Korean ships left in Strait of Hormuz

All but three Korean ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war have now cleared the strategic waterway.

As evacuation efforts enter the final stretch, only three Korean vessels remained in the Strait of Hormuz as of Sunday, with two more having transited the waterway a day earlier, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

One of the three — the HMM Namu — is undergoing repairs at a port in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and is not expected to depart until at least mid-July.

The remaining two are scheduled to leave once cargo operations are complete.

A total of 26 Korean vessels, as well as roughly 2,000 ships from other countries, were trapped inside the waterway when the war erupted in late February.

The government swiftly activated its emergency response system, with the Oceans Ministry establishing a dedicated task force, operating a 24-hour monitoring room and holding daily meetings, including on weekends, to track the vessels.

The crisis reached its height for Korea on May 4, when the HMM Namu was attacked.

The strike occurred just as the United States began an operation to move stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. A subsequent investigation by the Korean government determined that an Iranian antiship missile had hit the HMM Namu.

Although the United States and Iran formally signed a memorandum of understanding to terminate the war, tensions remain fragile. On Friday, just nine days after the agreement was signed, the two sides were again involved in armed clashes.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and remain on high alert until the three Korean vessels still inside the Strait of Hormuz have safely cleared the waterway," an Oceans Ministry official said.

About 40 ships from various countries were hit by missile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz during the war, which left 14 seafarers dead, according to the International Maritime Organization.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]