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Korea joins Britain-led ministerial meeting on Strait of Hormuz

Published: 03 Apr. 2026, 12:28

A cargo ship in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, is seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, on March 11. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Korea has joined dozens of other countries for a Britain-led top diplomats' meeting to discuss ways to keep the Strait of Hormuz free and open, as concerns deepen over Iran's effective closure of the vital waterway amid the spiraling Middle East crisis.

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae was among the participants from more than 40 countries and international bodies at the meeting, led by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Seoul officials said. Chung attended the meeting in a virtual format.

The two-hour meeting came as countries in Europe, the Gulf and Asia seek ways to secure passage through the critical shipping lane for global energy supplies, with U.S. President Donald Trump signaling a step back from involvement in the region that has become a geopolitical flashpoint since his war against Iran. The United States, China and Russia were absent.

Korea heavily relies on the Middle East for its oil and gas imports, with more than 60 percent of its crude oil delivered through the Strait of Hormuz.

Participants at the meeting called for an "immediate and unconditional" reopening of the strait, noting the "far-reaching" consequences for global supplies should disruptions continue, the chair's statement by Cooper showed.

They discussed possible collective action to increase diplomatic pressure, including through the United Nations to urge Iran to allow unimpeded transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the statement said.

Such action would be intended to "comprehensively reject" Iran's moves to impose tolls on vessels that pass through the maritime corridor, it showed.

“The meeting mainly focused on how we can leverage available means to exert continued pressure to secure unconditional free passage through the strait and de-escalate the situation," a Seoul official said.

“Participants also made it clear that any attempt to impose tolls on vessels transiting the strait was utterly unacceptable," the official said.

A man walks along the shore as oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on March 11. [AP/YONHAP]

Tehran is seen as attempting to seize control of the waterway by introducing fees on ships for the transit. Iran's deputy foreign minister said earlier that it is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic through the waterway, which would require shippers to pay tolls.

The meeting also called for working together to secure the release of ships and sailors stranded in the strait and restore the movement of vessels, as well as to ensure coherent and timely information sharing in coordination with shipping operators and industry bodies.

Follow-up discussions are expected to take place in the near future, with Britain likely to convene a meeting of military planners and other experts.

Yonhap