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HMM’s very large crude carrier (VLCC), Universal Winner, which became the first South Korean vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz after being stranded following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East. / Courtesy of Yonhap News

Five additional South Korean vessels that had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz have cleared the waterway, reducing the number of remaining South Korean ships inside the strait to 13.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 25th, five more vessels operated by South Korean shipping companies successfully and safely navigated through the Strait of Hormuz, following similar transits the previous day. A total of 21 South Korean crew members are aboard these ships.

With this latest transit, the total number of South Korean vessels remaining inside the Strait of Hormuz has decreased to 13. A total of 11 ships have resumed their voyages so far, following the exit of one vessel each at the end of last month and early this month, as well as four vessels that passed through just yesterday.

Among the remaining ships, except for HMM Namu which is currently undergoing repairs, the other 12 vessels are preparing to clear the strait in a sequential manner, aligned with each shipping company's operational schedule and ongoing consultations with relevant nations.

"To ensure the swift, free, and safe navigation of all our vessels, including those in this latest transit, the South Korean government—with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and overseas diplomatic missions working as a 'One Team'—continues to sustain close consultations with relevant countries," the ministry stated.

                                                                                                          Kim Han-seul