President Lee Commends Officials as Korean Ships Exit Strait of Hormuz

President Lee Jae-myung praised the efforts of government officials on June 26 after eight additional Korean ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz successfully navigated out of the waterway.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Lee stated, "Now, only five ships remain. Of these, two—one undergoing repairs and another expressing intent to stay due to cargo issues—are expected to leave by the weekend, along with the remaining three."

He also shared a report titled 'Eight Additional Korean Ships Escape from the Strait of Hormuz.' The article noted that eight vessels operated by shipping companies were able to pass through the strait and resume normal operations after being stranded due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The report indicated that the number of Korean ships still in the strait has decreased to five. Since the end of February, when the conflict began, 21 out of 26 Korean vessels that were trapped have safely returned to normal operations.

President Lee emphasized that the swift and safe escape of the detained vessels and crew was largely due to the dedicated efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Office, and the National Intelligence Service, who worked tirelessly to communicate and cooperate. He expressed gratitude for their hard work and encouraged continued support for these officials.