'Getting 22 ships out comes before the Namu issue'

'Meeting with Ukraine FM on Tuesday; pushing for POW transfer to S. Korea'

'Wang Yi visit coming soon; upgrading Korea-China ties on agenda'

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday. [Yonhap]

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday that the government has been preparing to help South Korean companies participate in Middle East reconstruction projects following the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.

Speaking at a press briefing at the ministry's headquarters that morning, Cho said Seoul had been "proactively preparing for the post-ceasefire period." He said the ministry had established a Korea-Middle East Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Team to develop strategies for South Korean companies to take part in post-war recovery efforts and to pursue broad economic cooperation with the region. Overseas missions had also been actively identifying tailored cooperation opportunities with individual Middle Eastern countries, he added.

Cho said the conflict had "firmly established the perception that South Korea is a partner that can stand with Middle Eastern nations even in difficult times." He added that Seoul plans to join international efforts, including those led by the United States, to ensure the agreement leads not merely to short-term de-escalation but to sustainable peace and stability in the region.

However, the ministry said the Korea-Middle East Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Team was not formed with participation in a Middle East reconstruction fund specifically in mind.

A senior ministry official said the government established the task force to consult on how to cooperate — prioritizing the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states and, ultimately, Iran as well — on complex issues expected to arise after the war beyond simple damage recovery, including the shift away from oil dependence and industrial diversification.

The official added that the reconstruction fund "is still in its early stages and no formal request for participation has been received," saying the team's work is "separate from the reconstruction fund question."

Cho also addressed the situation of 22 South Korean vessels still in the Strait of Hormuz. He said the ministry is working as one team with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and overseas missions to continuously monitor transit conditions and the safety of South Korean ships and crew, while coordinating with relevant countries to ensure free and safe navigation for all vessels as soon as possible.

He also said Seoul is "coordinating a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the near future."

The government is understood to be prioritizing the safe passage of the 22 South Korean vessels remaining in the Strait of Hormuz over pursuing accountability for the attack on the Namu. A senior official said: "What matters now, as the Middle East war is winding down, is that we set aside this issue — the Namu — get the 22 ships out of the Strait of Hormuz quickly, and secure free navigation going forward. I think that has to take priority."

On the question of transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior ministry official drew a clear line, saying South Korea "has never paid a transit fee in the Strait of Hormuz and must not allow one." The official added that while there are cases of charges levied under the guise of service fees, accepting such fees "would be difficult for a free-trade nation like ours." Seoul will continue consultations with the firm position that transit fees must not be imposed, the official said.

Cho announced that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is scheduled to visit South Korea for talks on Tuesday. The visit is expected to include discussions on transferring North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine to South Korea. The government has maintained that, since the North Korean soldiers have expressed a desire to defect, it will pursue their transfer to South Korea in accordance with their free will, and has been holding ongoing consultations with Ukraine on the matter.

A senior ministry official said the government's "basic position of pursuing their transfer to South Korea as quickly as possible, in accordance with their free will, remains unchanged," adding that progress is expected when Sybiha visits.

Seoul is also pursuing a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A senior ministry official said the visit is expected "in the not-too-distant future," and that the two sides would use the occasion to "discuss ways to further smooth and upgrade Korea-China relations."


moone@heraldcorp.com