South Korea To Participate In Defence Ministers' Meeting On Hormuz After Ship Blast

SEOUL, May 12 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea will participate in a multinational defence ministerial meeting on the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, officials said, as Seoul weighs its response following the recent attack on a Korean-operated cargo vessel in the strategic waterway, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Army Maj. Gen. Woo Kyung-suk, director general for policy planning at the defence ministry, will attend the virtual meeting to be co-chaired by Britain and France, later in the day, according to ministry officials.

It will mark the first such high-level conference bringing together top defence officials of more than 40 countries.

Since the U.S.-Iran conflict led to the blockade of the strait, Britain and France have led international discussions on ways to stabilise the region, jointly hosting a summit and other ministerial-level meetings.

They have also co-hosted working-level meetings of military planners to discuss cooperation to restore the free and open passage through the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for global energy and fertiliser supplies.

"We are actively engaging in discussions on international cooperation to ensure the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz while keeping abreast of the situation and developments in the region and maintaining close communication with relevant countries," a defence ministry official said.

Tuesday's meeting comes after South Korea determined the May 4 explosion and fire on the HMM Namu cargo ship in the waterway was an attack by two unidentified flying objects.

Seoul has strongly denounced the attack, pledging to delve into the incident to find out the exact cause and identify the party behind it.

A Cheong Wa Dae official said Monday the government will respond "at an appropriate level" when further analysis is done, indicating that measures it will take will be no different from those taken by other countries.

Announcing the upcoming meeting, British Defence Secretary John Healey said the meeting seeks to "turn diplomatic agreement into practical military plans to restore confidence" for shipping through the strait.

Regarding the scope of Seoul's potential involvement in the region, the defence ministry has said it is taking into account international law, the safety of international sea lanes, domestic legal procedures and other factors.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP