◆ Iran, captures Korean tankers
The appearance of the Korean national oil tanker, the Korea Chemie, was photographed on Closed Circuit (CC) TV when it was captured in the Hormuz Strait on the afternoon of the 4th (local time). The red circle on the right is a high-speed boat from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. [연합뉴스] – On the 5th, the government decided to send a bargaining delegation to the local area so that the Korean national oil tanker ships and crew detained in Iran could be released early. Shortly after the oil tanker was detained the day before, the Cheonghae unit was dispatched to the waters near the Strait of Hormuz, followed by a military and diplomatic response. On that day, President Seok-seok of the Blue House held a working-level coordination meeting at the National Security Council (NSC), presided over by the first deputy head of the National Security Office, to discuss countermeasures. Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok said, “The government is very seriously aware of this situation and is operating a regular response system.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said, “The working-level delegation, headed by the local director as the working group, will be dispatched to Iran and try to resolve the local issue through bilateral negotiations with Iran.” The delegation will include Ko Gyeong-seok, head of the Africa Middle East Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and personnel from related ministries including the person in charge of marine environmental pollution. This is because the Iranian side is protesting that the cause of the vessel detention is only related to environmental pollution.
Several analyzes have been raised as to why Iran seized a Korean national oil tanker. Iranian Revolutionary Guards said through local media that “the reason for the capture was marine pollution”, but some interpretations are being made that the use of Korean oil tankers as leverage to lift US sanctions.
![Iran's Ambassador to South Korea, who was initiated on the 5th, is entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. [연합뉴스]](https://file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2021/01/image_readmed_2021_12601_16098550614496894.jpg)
Iran’s Ambassador to South Korea, who was initiated on the 5th, is entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. [연합뉴스] – In the midst of this, the Iranian government dismissed the claim that the capture of Korean ships was a hostage act, and argued that “Korea is holding 7 billion dollars of Iranian funds hostage.” According to Reuters on the 5th, Iranian government spokesman Ali Ravieri said in an online press conference, “If there is a hostage play, it would be the South Korean government that froze our funds of $7 billion for groundless reasons.”
Currently, about 7 billion dollars (7.6 trillion won) of Iran’s crude oil exports is frozen in the Korean won account of the Iranian Central Bank of Korea’s Woori Bank and IBK Industrial Bank. The Iranian government, whose foreign currency crisis has worsened due to US sanctions, insists that Korea should return this money, but it is not easy due to US sanctions. However, recently, Iran has been discussing with South Korea and the United States about how to use this money to purchase Iran’s COVID-19 vaccine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also planning to visit Tehran on a two-night and three-day schedule from the 10th to the 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-Geon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was pushing for Vice Minister Choi’s visit to Iran to discuss the issue of funding from the Iranian central bank, which was frozen in banks in Korea. Spokesman Choi explained, “There will certainly be an exchange of opinions on the recent ship detention problem (at Vice Minister Choi’s visit to Iran).”
In Iran, claims have also been raised that captured Korean ships must compensate for maritime pollution. Iranian shipping association chief Masud Polme said on the 5th (local time), “Korean ships were arrested for repeated environmental law violations,” and insisted that “you must pay compensation for environmental pollution,” Iran’s anti-government-young Mehr news agency said. However, President Polme did not mention specific cases of environmental pollution or the amount of compensation.
On this afternoon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the Iranian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Said Badamchi Shavestari to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office, expressing regret and requesting the removal of the detention immediately. Ambassador Shavestari reiterated the Iranian government’s position that the detention is a simple technical issue, and made it clear that Iranian diplomatic authorities will cooperate and work together to resolve it as soon as possible, Choi explained. Ambassador Shavestari replied, “There is no need to worry about (their) health.”
Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense also dispatched the Cheonghae unit to the Hormuz Strait immediately after receiving the situation that a tanker of Korean nationality was captured the day before. It is reported that Choi Young-ship (4400t class), the 33rd Jinhae of the Cheonghae Unit, arrived near the Strait of Hormuz early this morning to respond to the seizure situation, while also carrying out a mission to ensure the safety of the voyages of other Korean ships in and out of the Hormuz Strait. There are about six Korean ships per day that pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Defense Ministry spokesman Bu Seung-chan said, “I hope you understand that detailed explanations of the Cheonghae unit will be limited in consideration of the fact that it is performing missions for the safety of the people.”
The Cheonghae Unit, which used to protect domestic ships mainly in the waters near the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, expanded its operational radius from the existing Gulf of Aden to the Gulf of Oman and Arabia. The Choi Young, currently being used for the operation, has about 300 troops on board, including soldiers belonging to the Naval Special Warfare Group, and a maritime operation helicopter.
[한예경 기자 / 김덕식 기자 / 연규욱 기자]
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