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South Korea has announced plans to send special envoys to three countries — Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Algeria — in a bid to secure alternative crude oil supplies and reduce its dependence on the volatile Strait of Hormuz.

The decision was confirmed by lawmaker Ahn Do-geol following a meeting with South Korea’s energy ministry and other relevant agencies. He also revealed that five Korean-flagged vessels are set to be deployed to Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia, located on the Red Sea, as part of a broader strategy to bypass the strategic strait.

While Saudi Arabia and Oman are traditional energy partners for Seoul, Algeria’s inclusion signals a significant diplomatic and economic outreach by South Korea to North Africa, potentially opening new routes for crude imports. Algeria, a major oil and gas producer and a key OPEC member, could offer South Korea an alternative supply chain through the Mediterranean, bypassing Middle Eastern chokepoints altogether.

The move comes as South Korea, heavily reliant on energy imports, faces mounting pressure from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has driven up global energy prices and pushed the government to propose a US$17.2 billion supplementary budget. President Lee Jae Myung has described the economic situation as being on a “wartime footing.”

Meanwhile, domestic energy conservation measures have been issued, including guidelines urging citizens to take shorter showers and charge mobile phones during daytime hours.

In other developments related to the Strait of Hormuz:

A third Turkish-owned vessel, the “Ocean Thunder,” safely crossed the strait on Monday, according to Turkey’s Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. The ship was carrying crude oil loaded from Iraq to Malaysia and passed through the strait overnight. It is the third Turkish vessel to do so since the weekend, reducing the number of Turkish-owned ships still in the vicinity to 12, with eight more awaiting permission to exit alongside their 156 crew members.

TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have granted permission for 15 ships to transit the strategic Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours, according to reports from the semi-official Fars News Agency on Sunday.

This rare authorization comes as the region remains under a state of high alert following the massive joint military offensive launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. That operation resulted in over 1,340 casualties, including the death of the then-Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A Strangled Waterway

Despite these 15 transits, maritime activity in the Strait—a vital artery for global oil supplies—remains crippled. Official data suggests that shipping traffic is currently 90% lower than it was prior to the late February escalation.

Tehran’s Response and Maritime Restrictions

Since the start of the conflict, Iran has implemented a strategy of “restricted movement” through the Strait as part of its retaliation. This has been coupled with a series of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as several neighboring countries hosting U.S. military assets, including Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states.

The international community continues to watch the Strait of Hormuz with concern, as the continued restriction of this global chokepoint threatens to further destabilize international energy markets and regional security.

Source: Anadolu Agency