The South China Morning Post reported on January 4 that the Iranian Coast Guard seized a South Korean-flagged tanker Hankuk Chemi in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Hankuk Chemi was raided by the Iranian Coast Guard on suspicion of contaminating water and driven to the port of Bandar Abbas, Iran.
The ship was carrying 7,200 tons of ethanol and was carrying 11 Burmese sailors. Five Koreans; Two Indonesians and two Vietnamese are serving a total of 20 people.
At the start of the incident, South Korea immediately sent defense forces to the Gulf-based pirates.
The Hankuk Chemi, which was carrying cargo to the UAE port of Jubail on January 2, was en route to Oman and was seized near Oman and Iran.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Jong Un immediately announced that diplomatic talks would be held on the incident, and the US 5th Fleet announced that it was monitoring the situation.
January 7, 2021
A foreign ministry official told that 11 Burmese sailors detained in Iran were in good health and were working diplomatically to be released as soon as possible.
“Since the ship is from Korea, we are working through the Burmese embassy in South Korea,” he said. And there is no direct Burmese embassy in Iran. In other words, we are in Delhi, India, so we are working through it, ”said a Foreign Ministry official.
The Hankuk Chemi, a South Korean tanker carrying Burmese sailors, was raided by the Iranian Coast Guard on January 4 on charges of contaminating water.
The ship was carrying 7,200 tons of ethanol and was carrying 11 Burmese sailors. Five Koreans; Two from Indonesia and two from Vietnam, for a total of 20 people.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Jong Un immediately announced that diplomatic talks would be held on the incident, and the US 5th Fleet announced that it was monitoring the situation.
