The Presidential Office said on the 13th that the government is "closely monitoring the situation and exploring various measures to ensure (vessel) safety" in response to the United States announcing it will soon impose a blockade on Iranian ports.
Senior Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung made the remarks when meeting with reporters and answering related questions that day. "The safety of international maritime routes and freedom of navigation are protected under international law and serve the interests of all nations," Kang said, adding, "We hope global maritime logistics networks will be normalized as soon as possible."
Earlier, the US military announced it would begin blockade measures on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. US Eastern Time on the 13th (11 p.m. Korean time on the 13th).
When asked whether the US action would make energy supply and demand more difficult, Kang explained, "Even if a ceasefire or armistice were to happen immediately, there would be economic repercussions, and we are preparing (countermeasures) while anticipating and staying alert to this."
