A Korean-flagged oil tanker was confirmed to be passing through the Strait of Hormuz on the 20th. This marks the first time one of the 26 Korean vessels stranded in the strait since the Middle East war broke out in late February has crossed the Strait of Hormuz on its way home.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the shipping industry that day, the "Universal Winner," a very large crude carrier (VLCC) operated by Korean shipping company HMM, is currently passing through the Strait of Hormuz carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun explained at a plenary session of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee that day, "We have completed consultations with the Iranian authorities, and the vessel began its voyage yesterday (the 19th) and is passing through the strait very cautiously."
Earlier, on the 18th of this month, Iranian authorities notified the Korean side that the Universal Winner could pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The government conveyed Iran's position to the shipping company, which decided to commence the passage. The vessel, which had been staying in waters near Qatar, began moving the previous day along the route designated by Iran. It is scheduled to arrive at the SK Terminal in Ulsan (Ulsan Port) on the 8th of next month, passing through the Gulf of Oman, a safe zone.
The Universal Winner is a 300,000-ton oil tanker built in 2019 by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (Hanwha Ocean). The vessel had loaded crude oil at Mina Al Ahmadi Port in Kuwait in March and attempted to return to Korea, but was unable to exit the strait due to the war. More than 20 crew members are on board, with fewer than 10 reportedly being Korean nationals.
◇ Pre-coordinated with U.S.… Cho: "No Compensation Such as Passage Fees" = If the vessel arrives safely, it will be the first case of a ship breaking through the Strait of Hormuz and returning to Korea since the outbreak of the Middle East war.
The government stated that no separate compensation was paid in connection with the vessel's passage. A Foreign Ministry official explained, "The movement was carried out under coordination with relevant countries including Iran for the safety of the vessel," adding, "There was no separate payment of fees." The Foreign Ministry is also known to have coordinated in advance with the United States to ensure the safety of the vessel.
Some observers suggest the possibility that Iran, which has been identified as the party that attacked HMM's cargo ship "Namu" earlier this month, may have offered the passage out of consideration for diplomatic pressure from the Korean government. In fact, Iran communicated that the vessel's passage was possible just one day after Minister Cho spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to demand a position on the Namu attack.
However, the government emphasized that this matter is unrelated to the Namu attack incident. The government's position is that the passage of the Korean vessel through the strait was decided as a result of managing relations with Iran through four rounds of phone calls between foreign ministers and special envoys since the Middle East war.
Minister Cho stated, "From the beginning, the government has maintained the basic position that all vessels should have free passage and that these cannot be subject to passage fees or used as means of negotiation."
The government is also in consultation with Iran to allow the 25 Korean vessels still stranded in the strait to pass through. Regarding the order of passage, factors such as whether Korean crew members are aboard and whether key cargo has been loaded are reportedly being considered. As Iran requires vessels to use its designated routes, some shipping companies are reportedly concerned about safety issues and the possibility of becoming subject to U.S. sanctions.
The Foreign Ministry is reportedly judging that the Universal Winner crossing the strait this time will not be subject to sanctions, as government-level negotiations do not constitute "transactions with Iran" that the U.S. sanctions.
