Cheong Wa Dae welcomes US-Iran peace deal, calls Strait of Hormuz opening 'especially significant'

Cheong Wa Dae on Monday officially welcomed the conclusion of US-Iran peace negotiations, saying the inclusion of a Strait of Hormuz opening in the agreement carries significant implications for South Korea's economy and security.

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on his official visit to the Vatican met with reporters at a local press center and said the deal appeared to be coming together after a prolonged back-and-forth process. "There have been various rounds of consultations toward a truce, and the process has been quite up and down — but it now appears an agreement has been reached," the official said. "This is something to welcome and represents progress in the right direction."

The aspect of the peace deal drawing the most attention from Seoul is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy and shipping. The strait is a key route for crude oil imports into South Korea and a critical passage for vessels carrying cargo to and from the Middle East. The threat of a blockade amid escalating US-Iran tensions had long been considered one of the biggest risks to the South Korean economy. "Particularly, the fact that the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is included as part of the agreement is especially significant for us," the official said.

However, Cheong Wa Dae made clear it would maintain a cautious stance and closely monitor potential variables that could arise during implementation, given that the deal is still in its early stages. The nuclear issue — a persistent source of instability in the Middle East — still remains on the table as a subject for follow-on negotiations.

"Of course, how the agreement is actually implemented remains to be seen," the official said, adding that while expectations were high, it was still necessary to watch closely whether the Strait of Hormuz would be fully opened in the short term. The official added that the truce framework itself could be affected depending on how the nuclear issue is addressed in follow-on negotiations, and that the situation was being closely monitored.