Korea joins Britain-led ministerial meeting on Strait of Hormuz

Korea has joined dozens of other countries for a Britain-led top diplomats' meeting to discuss ways to keep the Strait of Hormuz free and open, as concerns deepen over Iran's effective closure of the vital waterway amid the spiraling Middle East crisis. Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae was among the participants from more than 40 countries and international bodies at the meeting, led by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Seoul officials said. Chung attended the meeting in a virtual format. The two-hour meeting came as countries in Europe, the Gulf and Asia seek ways to secure passage through the critical shipping lane for global energy supplies, with U.S. President Donald Trump signaling a step back from involvement in the region that has become a geopolitical flashpoint since his war against Iran. The United States, China and Russia were absent. Korea heavily relies on the Middle East for its oil and gas imports, with more than 60 percent of its crude oil delivered through the Strait of Hormuz. Participants at the meeting called for an "immediate and unconditional" reopening

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