S. Korea to send new special envoy to Tehran amid Hormuz concerns
South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Friday appointed former Ambassador to Kuwait Chung Byung-ha as its special envoy to Iran, with plans to dispatch him to Tehran soon to coordinate the safe passage of South Korean vessels and nationals amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, officials said.
The ministry announced Chung’s appointment — he currently serves as ambassador for polar affairs — a day after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, News.Az reports, citing Yonhap.
During the talks, Cho informed Araghchi of Seoul’s decision to send a special envoy to Iran in order to discuss both the broader Middle East situation and bilateral issues between the two countries.
According to the ministry, 26 vessels linked to South Korea remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian control. Tehran has stated that it will ensure safe passage in coordination with its armed forces but has also warned that ships attempting to pass without authorization could face attacks.
“With the dispatch of the special envoy, the foreign ministry intends to exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and discuss safe passage not only for our nationals, vessels, and crews, but for all ships,” the ministry said.
News.Az
By Nijat Babayev
