Iran Detains Korean Ship, Sends 'Working-Level Delegation'... Vice Minister Choi Jong-geon to Visit Iran on 10th

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Expresses Strong Regret Over Summoning of Iranian Ambassador to Korea... Agrees to Cooperate for Early Resolution
Iran Repeatedly Emphasizes Technical Issues Such as Environmental Pollution

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government has decided to dispatch a delegation for negotiations to secure the early release of a South Korean-flagged vessel detained in Iran. Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local diplomatic missions immediately activated the Overseas Korean Protection Headquarters and on-site command team upon learning of the vessel detention incident, held a meeting with related agencies, and on the afternoon of the 5th, Minister Kang Kyung-wha personally presided over a headquarters meeting.

Choi Young-sam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at the regular briefing that "a working-level delegation, led by the regional director in charge as the head of the task force, will be urgently dispatched to Iran to resolve the issue locally through bilateral negotiations with the Iranian side as soon as possible." The working-level delegation will be led by Ko Kyung-seong, Director of the Africa and Middle East Bureau, and composed of staff from the Middle East Bureau and the Overseas Safety Management Planning Office.

Earlier, the visit of First Vice Minister Choi Jong-geon to Iran, scheduled for three days and two nights starting from the 10th, will proceed as planned after finalizing the schedule with the Iranian side. Vice Minister Choi was originally scheduled to discuss issues such as the funds of the Central Bank of Iran frozen in South Korean banks, but given the detention of the Korean vessel, it is expected that he will convey the Korean government's position again through related discussions.

Spokesperson Choi emphasized, "I believe that through Vice Minister Choi's visit, the two countries will have broad consultations on matters of mutual interest," adding, "There will naturally be an exchange of views regarding the vessel detention issue as well." He stressed, "We will mobilize all possible efforts, including the already planned visit of Vice Minister Choi, the urgently dispatched working-level delegation, and local diplomatic channels, to resolve this issue as early as possible."

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Saeed Badamchi Shabestari, the Iranian Ambassador to South Korea, expressed regret, and reiterated the request for the prompt release of the detained vessel. The Iranian ambassador met with Director Ko Kyung-seok and reiterated that the detention is simply a technical matter, agreeing to cooperate with the Korean government to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Spokesperson Choi said, "The Iranian side repeatedly emphasizes that the detention of the Korean vessel is due to technical issues such as environmental pollution," adding, "During the meeting with the Iranian ambassador this afternoon, it was clearly stated again that this case is simply a technical matter."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.