Deputy Minister Choi Jong-geon 'Heads to Iran' for Early Release Negotiations of Detained Korean Seamen: "Serious Situation, Doing Our Best to Negotiate"

Meeting with Iranian senior officials alongside the working delegation dispatched on the 7th for negotiations
Listening to Iran's position on local currency fund issues... Vice Minister Choi's 'creative solution' draws attention
Iranian authorities claim "ship detention unrelated to frozen funds"... Concerns over prolonged detention

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Choi Jong-geon, the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, has departed for Iran to resolve the early release of the Korean-flagged vessel and crew members detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has been six days since the vessel was moved into Iranian territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz, close to Oman, and detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps four days ago. On the 7th, Vice Minister Choi plans to meet with Iranian officials alongside the government working delegation urgently dispatched to Iran to conduct negotiations.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 10th, Vice Minister Choi is scheduled to enter Tehran via Doha, Qatar, using a flight departing from Incheon International Airport at 00:35 that day. Just before departure at the airport, he told reporters, "It is regrettable that our vessel and crew members have been detained," adding, "While I am relieved that the crew members are safe, the situation remains serious."

He further stated, "Although the situation is not easy, Korea and Iran share a history of cooperation, relations, and trust," and added, "I hope to have in-depth conversations with key figures, addressing consular matters separately and major bilateral issues separately."

This visit to Iran by Vice Minister Choi was planned and finalized before the detention incident to restore Korea-Iran relations, which have been strained due to strong U.S. sanctions, and to resolve the issue of Iranian won funds frozen in Korea. However, the priority shifted following the incident. Vice Minister Choi intends to discuss the urgent bilateral issue of the early release of the crew members of the 'Korea Chemieho,' detained at Bandar Abbas port in southern Iran.

Regarding the Iranian won funds frozen in Korea, Vice Minister Choi noted that they are not unrelated to U.S. sanctions, saying, "This will be a good opportunity to clearly hear on-site what the Iranian government wants regarding the frozen assets in Korea, and to confirm what Korea can and cannot do, as well as what needs to be coordinated with the U.S."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Iran has continuously requested that the Korean-held Iranian won funds, estimated between 7 billion and 9 billion dollars, be used to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. Recently, Korea and Iran discussed in a "friendly atmosphere" a plan for Korea to pay part of these funds on Iran's behalf to the international vaccine co-development and distribution project, the 'COVAX facility,' to secure Iran's COVID-19 vaccines. The Korean government had obtained approval from the U.S. Treasury Department and was awaiting Iran's final decision, but Iran has delayed the decision, citing concerns that the funds might be re-frozen by the U.S. during the dollar exchange process.

Additionally, it is reported that Iran has expressed its intention to purchase medical equipment worth 1 billion dollars from the Korean government. It is also said that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani personally sent a letter to President Moon Jae-in requesting a resolution to this issue. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, "It is our principle not to confirm letters exchanged between heads of state," adding, "We are considering various options."

Vice Minister Choi is expected to propose a so-called "creative solution" regarding the Iranian funds in Korea during this visit. Depending on Iran's attitude and response, it will be possible to gauge whether the detention of the Korean-flagged vessel and crew members can be resolved early. Iran has repeatedly stated its official position that the detention of the vessel and crew is due to "repeated violations of maritime environmental regulations" and is unrelated to the issue of Iranian won funds in Korea.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson and the Presidential Secretariat of Iran stated on the 5th and 6th (local time) that the detention of the Korean-flagged vessel is a "technical issue," and that the visit of the working delegation and Vice Minister Choi is related to economic cooperation and financial matters. However, the Korean side plans to request the evidence and data supporting Iran's claim of environmental regulation violations by the 'Korea Chemieho' and to verify whether there were any violations of international law during the detention process of the vessel and crew, preparing for legal action if necessary.

Vice Minister Choi will stay in Iran for two nights and three days, meeting with various Iranian officials, then move to Qatar to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation with high-level officials before returning to Korea on the 14th.

Meanwhile, the detained 'Korea Chemieho' has a total of 20 crew members on board, including 5 Koreans, 11 Myanmar nationals, 2 Vietnamese, and 2 Indonesians. Staff from the Korean Embassy in Iran have already met directly with the Korean crew members to check on their safety and health.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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