Foreign Ministry sends envoys to Algeria, Libya to explore alternative supply routes amid conflict
Published: 14 Apr. 2026, 13:54
![President Lee Jae Myung, far right, asks Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, far left, a question during a Cabinet meeting at The Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 14. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/14/cdc69e2d-5f41-4cc0-b33b-62eacb3468a1.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, far right, asks Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, far left, a question during a Cabinet meeting at The Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 14. [YONHAP]
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dispatched envoys to Algeria and Libya and is seeking to send additional envoys to secure alternative supply routes amid the Iran war.
Cho made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting after President Lee Jae Myung called on the government to explore supply chain alternatives as the United States' war against Iran has choked off the crucial Strait of Hormuz and disrupted maritime traffic in the Middle East.
Cho said the ministry has sent director-general-level officials to Algeria and Libya and is seeking to dispatch a special envoy of the foreign minister to the Republic of the Congo.
"The ministry will actively pursue the dispatch of presidential envoys after consulting with relevant ministries, the Korea Petroleum Association and other stakeholders to contribute to the government's efforts to secure alternative sources of supply," Cho said.
Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik has also been dispatched to the Middle East as a special envoy.
Cho said that Chung Byung-ha, the special envoy to Iran, has been in contact with senior Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss regional developments, the safety of South Korean nationals, vessels and crew and passage of ships.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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