South Korea says most ships exit Hormuz after US-Iran deal

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday, June 30, that nearly all South Korean-operated vessels previously stranded in the Strait of Hormuz have now exited the waterway, following disruptions caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said only two vessels remain in the strait due to specific circumstances preventing their departure. The passage had effectively been shut down after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February, which severely disrupted maritime traffic through the strategic transit route.

"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," Lee said.

The departures come after Washington and Tehran signed a preliminary agreement on June 17, paving the way toward a final peace deal aimed at ending the conflict and stabilising the region.

Despite the progress, Lee warned that risks to the global economy persist.

"Crisis is not yet over", he said, noting that a full recovery would take time even after a formal peace agreement is concluded.

"We need more effective and focused crisis management in the mid- to long-term," he added, urging officials to maintain robust emergency response systems and to accelerate structural measures such as diversifying energy and raw material supply chains.

By Tamilla Hasanova