National Assembly Committee Urges Iran Ambassador on Expatriate Safety, Strait Passage

The National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee requested assurances on the safety of South Korean expatriates, cooperation on energy supply, and the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Seoul on the 25th. Kim Suk-ki, chairman of the committee from the People Power Party, and members from both ruling and opposition parties met with Ambassador Seyed Koroush Kouchaki at the National Assembly. The meeting, held at Iran's request, focused on the escalating military tensions due to the impending US ground troop deployment in Iran and the detention of approximately 180 Korean vessels and their crews in the Strait of Hormuz.

Chairman Kim urged Ambassador Kouchaki to ensure the safety of ships and their crews in the Strait of Hormuz. The ambassador responded by stating that Iranians consider Koreans guests and that Iran is cooperating to ensure their safety, prioritizing safe passage if necessary. The committee also called for diplomatic efforts to guarantee freedom of passage in the strait and a swift end to the conflict, highlighting the severe impact on the South Korean economy.

Ambassador Kouchaki called for concerted international efforts, including from South Korea, to achieve peace in the Middle East. He dismissed reports about a 15-point agreement between Iran and the US as 'fake news.'