Lee says all but 2 Korean vessels have left Strait of Hormuz
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that all but two Korean-operated vessels have left the Strait of Hormuz after being stranded there amid the U.S.-Iran war.
Lee provided the update during a Cabinet meeting, saying the two that remain have circumstances that prevent them from leaving the strait, which was effectively shut following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February.
"This is all thanks to the people who gathered their strengths while trusting the government, and the result of the sincere efforts of public servants at the oceans ministry, the foreign ministry, the National Intelligence Service and other relevant ministries," he said during the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.
Lee cautioned, however, that the "crisis is not yet over" as a considerable amount of time will be required to fully bring the world economy back to normal, even after a peace agreement is signed.
"We need more effective and focused crisis management in the mid- to long-term," he said, asking the government to maintain a thorough emergency response system and pursue long-term tasks, such as diversifying energy and raw material supply chains.
The vessels' departures came after the United States and Iran signed a preliminary deal on June 17 ahead of a final peace agreement to end their war.