Seoul shares details of 26 Korean vessels waiting to traverse Hormuz with Tehran, sources say
Published: 14 Apr. 2026, 07:00
![Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speak ahead of a Cabinet meeting and the fourth emergency economic review meeting at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 6. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/14/567422a7-8f4f-4cf1-a664-54c338aa41ef.jpg)
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speak ahead of a Cabinet meeting and the fourth emergency economic review meeting at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 6. [NEWS1]
The government has shared detailed information on the Korean ships waiting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian authorities and is now moving toward full-scale talks to facilitate their release, multiple sources told the JoongAng Ilbo on Monday.
Seoul opened negotiations with Iran to secure the release of 26 Korean-flagged vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
Seoul had previously been cautious about such an approach, as it was not confident that Iran was genuinely willing to allow Korean ships to pass, and also believed that sharing the information could be risky, as it might be used as a pretext to detain the ships or for other unintended purposes.
But the situation changed after the U.S.-Iran cease-fire began last week, which allowed some ships to move through the strait. Since then, the Korean government has shifted its strategy, focusing first on getting its own vessels out safely rather than upholding the broader principle of free navigation for all ships.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched a special envoy to Iran, Chung Byung-ha, to the region on Friday, just a day after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed sending a representative during a phone call on Thursday. Chung is expected to meet Araghchi to discuss the passage of Korean vessels.
“Before the cease-fire, we could not push for the evacuation of only our vessels in line with the international community’s coordinated response,” a senior official said. “But once the cease-fire took effect, the strait was technically reopened, allowing countries to begin bilateral negotiations based on their own diplomatic capabilities.”
![Cargo ships float in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran March 11. [REUTERS/YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/14/da8cf0ad-39d2-40c7-87c6-4f16cc0b4e07.jpg)
Cargo ships float in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran March 11. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
Korea’s humanitarian aid to Iran may also indirectly help secure the ships’ release as experts say the government is reviewing programs led by international organizations such as Unicef — particularly those focused on infants and children.
During a phone call on Thursday, Cho and Araghchi reportedly reached a general understanding on providing humanitarian assistance if needed. The Korean government is now closely assessing humanitarian needs in key areas across the Middle East, including Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
If finalized, the plan would mark the government’s second round of humanitarian aid since the outbreak of the conflict, following a $2 million public-private assistance package for Lebanon announced on March 19.
Attention to Iran's humanitarian issues has grown after a missile strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran on Feb. 28 killed 168 people, raising concerns over children’s rights around the world. Unicef has since reported that more than 340 children have been killed and 1.2 million people displaced across the Middle East, and has called for emergency assistance.
![Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions lay flowers in front of portraits of victims of an elementary school bombing in Iran during a rally condemning the United States and Israel and opposing troop deployment, in Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 25. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/14/940b12e3-7347-4b97-8e34-a9c4266725b8.jpg)
Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions lay flowers in front of portraits of victims of an elementary school bombing in Iran during a rally condemning the United States and Israel and opposing troop deployment, in Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 25. [NEWS1]
Formally, the government has drawn a line between humanitarian aid and negotiations over ship passage, treating them as separate issues. However, some officials believe that providing aid could still help Korea in negotiations by building goodwill or encouraging greater cooperation from Iran.
“There is a large number of refugees in Middle East war-affected areas, and the urgent need for basic necessities and medical supplies is well known,” a source who requested anonymity said. “We are reviewing various support measures through international organizations. Among them, relief programs for infants and young girls are one of the options being considered.”
A new variable is U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called reverse blockade order on the Strait of Hormuz, announced immediately after the collapse of cease-fire talks on Monday. The measure, which restricts the movement of vessels traveling to and from Iran, has raised tensions in the strait again and made negotiations over ship passage more difficult.
A government official, however, noted that the 26 Korean vessels are not subject to the U.S. restrictions, as they are not involved in importing Iranian crude oil, though "it is true that the situation has become more tense.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON JI-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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