HMM oil tanker escapes Hormuz (Ulsan=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = The Universal Winner, an HMM very large crude carrier (VLCC) and the first South Korean vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz after being trapped since the outbreak of the Middle East war, arrived off the coast of Ulsan on the 10th of last month. 2026.6.10 yongtae@yna.co.k

"We hurried out because we didn't know when it might close again."

This is how a crew member of a South Korean ship, which exited the Strait of Hormuz last month after Iran opened it following a ceasefire agreement with the United States, recalled the situation at the time.

According to Yonhap News coverage on the 19th, there are four South Korean-bound ships among the South Korean vessels that were stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to the Middle East war and have since exited following the ceasefire agreement.

These ships are expected to arrive in South Korea sequentially, starting with the oil tanker Universal Glory, which is scheduled to dock in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, on the 21st.

Following the ceasefire agreement, Iran began accepting requests for passage through the Strait of Hormuz via the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). The trapped South Korean ships also filed requests with the PGSA to exit the strait.

Although the risk of attack was low as they exited via the route recommended by Iran, they could not let their guard down. One crew member stated, "We maintained a higher-than-usual level of vigilance while navigating out of the strait."

While they were relieved to have finally escaped once they cleared the Strait of Hormuz, there was no time for self-congratulation as everyone was busy with their assigned duties.

The Indian Ocean, reached after clearing the strait, felt even more peaceful, and the ships are currently sailing toward their destinations with calm minds.

When the Middle East war broke out at the end of February, Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, trapping approximately 2,000 ships from around the world. Of these, 26 were South Korean.

The sense of crisis reached its peak on May 4, while the ships were stuck in a war zone filled with missiles and drones, anxiously monitoring the news as it trickled in, when an explosion and fire occurred on the South Korean cargo ship HMM Namu.

The Namu, which was towed to the port of Dubai, was found to have been targeted by a military attack, with Iran identified as the perpetrator.

During the period when Iran maintained the blockade, two South Korean ships managed to escape following negotiations with Iranian authorities, and an additional 22 vessels exited after the ceasefire agreement.

The two South Korean ships remaining inside the region are the Namu, currently undergoing repairs at the port of Dubai, and an oil tanker that remained due to scheduling issues such as cargo loading.

Recently, as Iran has clashed with the U.S. again—sparked by attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz—and re-imposed a blockade, it has become difficult to determine when the two remaining South Korean ships, including the Namu, will be able to depart.

It is reported that the Namu, having finished repairs at the port of Dubai, has moved to another port for cargo loading after undergoing sea trials.

As instability in the Strait of Hormuz continues, the crew members who escaped are also anxious, as they do not know when they might be assigned to ships heading back into the strait.

Although crew members have the right to refuse to board ships operating in dangerous waters, they explain that it is not easy to repeatedly turn down requests from shipping companies.

One crew member said, "The situation where I have no choice but to board a ship heading to dangerous waters could happen again," adding, "I just hope the Strait of Hormuz stabilizes as soon as possible." [Yonhap News]

HMM Namu towed to the port of Dubai [Photo by Kim Sang-hoon]