South Korea's Lee Says 5 Korean Ships Remain in Strait of Hormuz, 3 to Leave by Weekend

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said on June 26 that only five Korean vessels remain in the Strait of Hormuz.

Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, as he shared a report that eight more Korean ships had escaped from the strait.

Of the five vessels still inside the strait, three are expected to leave by the weekend. The other two are the Namu, which is under repair, and another ship that decided to stay because of cargo-related issues.

Lee said the swift and safe departure of the detained merchant vessels and their crews was largely due to efforts by the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Office, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the National Intelligence Service. He praised officials at the agencies involved and asked the public to encourage them as well.

Han Kyung-woo, Hankyung.com reporter case@hankyung.com