Kang Hoon-sik's Special Delegation Achieves Results After Crucial Negotiations with Four Nations

"2.73 million barrels of crude oil and 2.1 million tons of naphtha secured by the end of the year."

The special delegation, including Kang Hoon-sik, policy chief at the Presidential Office and 'Special Presidential Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation,' breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the unstable ceasefire between the United States and Iran, concerns about further blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainties in shipping, the delegation traveled through oil-producing countries from April 7 to April 14, ultimately succeeding in securing an additional three months' worth of crude oil and one month's worth of naphtha. Including the volumes previously secured from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the team has obtained essential resources that will allow the country to withstand even the worst-case scenarios through this fall.

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The negotiations were far from easy. With the Middle Eastern situation changing by the hour, Israel continued attacks on neighboring countries such as Qatar, and statements by U.S. President Donald Trump-who declared a ceasefire with Iran on April 8 and began peace negotiations-shifted several times daily. Some Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, even declared an energy moratorium, indicating the severity of local conditions, so the delegation had to adjust their schedule on the ground to continue negotiations. The originally unplanned visit to Qatar was added urgently right after arriving in Kazakhstan, upon hearing the news of the ceasefire.

After a grueling schedule of continuous negotiations with four countries-Kazakhstan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar-Kang briefed reporters at the Blue House on April 15. He stated, "At some meetings, people questioned why they even accepted the president's special envoy if it was going to be this difficult," adding, "Both securing additional volumes and maintaining existing commitments were extremely challenging." Due to accumulated fatigue during the four-nation trip, Kang reportedly had to receive IV therapy.

This achievement by the special envoy is more than just 'securing additional crude oil.' According to Kang, "The key factor behind the successful energy procurement was sincerity." He explained that, recognizing the country's excessive dependence on Middle Eastern energy, the Blue House, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea National Oil Corporation, and energy companies formed a team to diversify supply lines-a move highly praised by foreign leaders. In the letters delivered to each country from President Lee Jaemyung, sincere messages were included expressing concern over the ongoing Middle East conflict and calling for joint wisdom to resolve the energy security crisis.

Looking at the results by country, 18 million barrels of crude oil were secured from Kazakhstan. As a resource-rich country able to export oil through routes independent of the Strait of Hormuz, the delegation secured an additional 3 million barrels compared to last year. Kang explained, "President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that, after the Middle East war, many countries sent special envoys, but Korea was the only one whose envoy he accepted in person." The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation beyond crude oil and naphtha to mineral resources, urban development, and plant projects. In addition to immediate procurement, this opens up a strategic supply route outside the Middle East.

In Oman, energy issues and maritime safety were discussed together. The delegation requested the safe passage of 26 Korea-flagged ships anchored inside the Strait of Hormuz, to which Oman responded with strong willingness to cooperate. At the same time, Oman committed to supplying up to 5 million barrels of crude oil and up to 1.6 million tons of naphtha by year-end. Including previously imported volumes, the amount of Omani naphtha is expected to reach about 2 million tons by the end of the year, surpassing last year's 1.93 million tons. Oman's strategic value-being adjacent to the Indian Ocean and relatively outside the direct impact zone of a Strait closure-was highlighted once again. Kang relayed, "Oman said it was the first time their government took such direct action, and they highly appreciated our active efforts."

Yonhap News Agency

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Saudi Arabia was the real battleground. As one of Korea’s largest crude oil suppliers, Saudi Arabia has provided more than 300 million barrels annually, accounting for one-third of Korea’s total imports. This time, Saudi Arabia agreed to ship 50 million barrels-previously uncertain-through alternative ports near the Red Sea in April and May, and to prioritize a total of 200 million barrels for Korean companies from June through the end of the year. Kang explained, "We had hardly received the volumes promised for March and April last year, and shipping dates for April and May had not even been set. Stabilizing these volumes this time was a major success."

The visit to Qatar was more focused on managing LNG supply risks than crude oil or naphtha. Qatari LNG remains highly uncertain due to ongoing questions about whether the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, but Qatar is a country requiring long-term supply management. Kang explained that, with Qatar as the final stop, the delegation quickly adjusted its schedule on-site, and received a direct pledge from Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani: "Promises made to Korea will be kept without fail. Korea is our top priority." The two sides agreed to form a practical working group for investment cooperation in AI and industry-wide sectors. However, Qatar’s supply is still contingent on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Additionally, the delegation held in-depth discussions with Saudi Arabia, Oman, and others on building bypass pipelines, constructing external oil storage facilities beyond the Strait of Hormuz, and expanding international joint stockpiles. Middle Eastern countries reportedly showed great interest in these ideas. The government has included funding for domestic storage facility expansion in the supplementary budget, with a plan to increase joint stockpiling during normal times and enable immediate use in times of crisis, thereby overhauling the energy security system-not just supply but also routes, storage, and reserves. The government considers these achievements to be a 'surprise success' beyond expectations, having bought valuable time. Kang said, "Last night (April 14), Minister of Industry Kim Jungkwan received a report on the envoy's results and sent a message saying he was very pleased with the significant achievements."

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