SEOUL, April 02 (AJP) -South Korea will join a U.K.-hosted virtual foreign ministerial meeting Thursday aimed at coordinating international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington signals that responsibility for safeguarding the core oil route should fall on its primary dependents.
Chung Eui-hae, deputy foreign minister for political affairs, will participate via video link in the meeting involving 35 countries that have backed a joint statement condemning attempts to block the vital shipping lane.
The talks, scheduled for 8 p.m. Seoul time, come amid growing pressure on energy-importing nations after U.S. President Donald Trump urged them to take the lead despite the conflict being triggered by U.S.-Israeli military action.
“Build up some delayed courage,” Trump said Wednesday, addressing countries dependent on Gulf oil. “They should have done it before, should have done it with us, as we asked. Go to the strait and just take it, protect it.”
His remarks — coupled with earlier comments that securing the waterway is “not America’s job” — underscore a shift toward burden-sharing that has unsettled markets and allies alike.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the meeting, hosted by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, will assess “all viable diplomatic and political measures” to restore freedom of navigation, ensure the safety of trapped vessels and seafarers, and resume the flow of critical commodities.
“We expect there will be broad discussions regarding the current situation and the need to secure the safety of vessels and crew stranded in the strait, and freedom of navigation,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a regular briefing on Thursday.
Park stressed that ensuring maritime security aligns with the interests of all nations and expressed hope for a swift normalization of global logistics networks based on international law.
"Safety of international sea lanes and freedom of navigation serve the interests of all countries and are protected under international law. We hope global maritime logistics will be normalized as soon as possible,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG trade — remains effectively paralyzed amid more than a month of conflict involving Iran, raising concerns over prolonged supply disruptions and price volatility.
Park described the situation as “extremely grave” and “highly fluid,” saying Seoul would avoid premature judgments while closely monitoring developments.
“The government will continue to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and explore various measures to protect our citizens and ensure the safety of energy transport routes,” he said.
Seoul has already participated in prior international efforts, including a joint statement on the Strait and a recent meeting of military chiefs hosted by France, and will continue engaging in coordinated discussions.
“By taking part in today’s meeting and other international discussions, we will carefully review global trends and consider how we can contribute,” Park added.
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