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| ▲ The foreign ministry's sign at its headquarters in central Seoul (Yonhap) |
S Korea-Middle East
S. Korea welcomes U.S.-Iran ceasefire plan, voices hope for safe transit of Hormuz Strait
By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday welcomed a two-week ceasefire proposal by the United States and Iran, voicing hope for the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping route.
"Our government welcomes the agreement between the United States and Iran for a ceasefire ... and the groundwork it has laid for the resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said in a statement.
"Our government hopes that the freedom of navigation for all vessels, including our own, takes place swiftly and safely through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
The spokesperson also voiced hope for the two sides to come to an agreement in negotiations and for the swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier said he agreed to suspend strikes on Iran for two weeks, subject to the Islamic Republic agreeing to the "complete" and "immediate" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
South Korea heavily relies on the Middle East for its oil and gas imports, with more than 60 percent of its crude oil delivered through the Strait of Hormuz.
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