FM Cho vows efforts to secure alternative naphtha supply routes amid Mideast crisis

▲ Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) speaks with South Korea's petrochemical industry officials at the Korea Chemical Industry Association in Seoul on April 17, 2026, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

FM-petrochemical industry

FM Cho vows efforts to secure alternative naphtha supply routes amid Mideast crisis

SEOUL, April 17 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Friday vowed every effort to secure alternative routes for naphtha imports amid supply disruptions triggered by the Middle East crisis, as he held a meeting with local petrochemical industry officials, the foreign ministry said.

The meeting came as Seoul ramps up efforts to diversify sourcing routes for naphtha, a key feedstock for materials used to make plastics, as the U.S.-Iran war has disrupted the shipment flow of oil and other commodities in the Middle East region.

Seoul has introduced restrictions on naphtha exports in a bid to address domestic supply shortages and obtained a temporary sanctions exemption from the U.S. to allow Korean companies to source the material from Russia.

In Friday's meeting, Cho promised the government will mobilize all available resources to secure alternative naphtha supply channels and full support for the industry when it needs diplomatic assistance.

Industry officials called for efforts to swiftly allow Korean ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and close communication between the government and industry sectors regarding alternative sourcing routes, the ministry said.

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