By Jihye Lee
South Korea will send an envoy to Iran to push for the passage of its ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
The plan was discussed during a phone call between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, as the two sides reviewed the situation in the Middle East following a cease-fire agreement with the U.S., the ministry said in a Thursday statement.
Cho welcomed the cease-fire, saying it would "provide momentum toward resuming navigation through the strategic waterway, and expressed hope that negotiations between Washington and Tehran would lead to a swift restoration of regional stability."
The move comes as South Korea seeks to secure passage for dozens of its vessels delayed by ongoing restrictions in the strait, a key route for global energy shipments.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of global oil trade, making prolonged disruptions a major concern for energy-importing countries like South Korea.
Write to Jihye Lee at jihye.lee@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-09-26 2258ET
