President Lee: "Our Vessel is Transporting Crude Oil Through the Red Sea... A One-Team Achievement"

President Lee Jae-myung stated on April 17, "I am pleased to share the news that, for the first time since the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, our vessel has safely and stably transported crude oil through the Red Sea."

On the afternoon of April 17, President Lee shared an article via X (formerly Twitter) reporting that a Korean vessel safely passed through the Red Sea while carrying crude oil loaded at Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia, and made this announcement.

President Lee Jae-myung encouraged Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who completed his visit to Central Asia and the Middle East as a Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation, at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House on April 16, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee remarked, "This is a valuable achievement made possible by all relevant ministries working as one team," and added, "I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who worked tirelessly under challenging conditions, especially the crew members."

President Lee also emphasized, "The government is mobilizing all its capabilities to overcome the crisis brought about by the war in the Middle East," and pledged, "We will continue to do our utmost, with thorough responses and meticulous preparations, to protect the lives of our people and the national interest."

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