South Korea pushing to secure the release of tanker seized by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz

On Tuesday, the MT Hankuk Chemi was seized by Iranian forces near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, detaining its crew of 20 people, with Iran stating that the ship had violated environmental rules.

South Korea is attempting to secure the release of the tanker, as this incident comes amid rising tensions over Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks, due to U.S-imposed sanctions.

Reportedly, a senior South Korean official is due in Iran in the coming days to discuss the matter, with Reuters reporting that "the plan is unclear" as to whether Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-Kun's visit would proceed as planned.

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha told reporters that South Korea was making diplomatic efforts to try and secure the release of the tanker and its crew, stating that "We have been trying to figure out what happened through the Iranian Embassy in South Korea and the South Korean Embassy in Iran and continuing to make efforts to address this situation".

On Tuesday, South Korea's Defence Ministry stated that it had dispatched its anti-piracy unit to the proximity of the Strait of Hormuz, to "ensure the safety" of South Korean nationals.

In a statement from Iran's Foreign Ministry, it was stated that the chemical tanker's seizure was over a "purely technical issue and due to polluting the sea", even though the ship's operator has denied that the vessel was polluting waters.

The incident marks the first Iranian seizure of a major vessel in over a year.