Seoul: Forty South Korean nationals are currently serving aboard ships in the Strait of Hormuz as part of the onboard ship reserve service, the chief of the military manpower agency reported Friday. This announcement comes as global attention focuses on the ongoing Middle East conflict and its potential implications for international maritime activities.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the onboard ship reserve service is a form of alternative military service that allows qualified mariners and engineers to fulfill their mandatory service by working on commercial vessels for three years instead of the standard 18-month service in military units. Hong So-young, the chief of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), confirmed that 40 personnel are deployed across 17 ships in the region. She assured that these individuals continue their duties without any requests to leave their positions, despite the heightened tensions.

Hong emphasized that the MMA, in collaboration with the oceans ministry and an industry organization, is monitoring the situation closely. The agency is keenly focused on ensuring the safety and meeting the needs of the personnel onboard. Additionally, Hong informed that 27 individuals, who were granted short-term travel permits for the Middle East in late February, have all returned safely to South Korea.

Appointed as the MMA's first female chief in July of the previous year, Hong is committed to ensuring fairness in the mandatory military service process. She also highlighted the agency's efforts to adapt to demographic shifts that are projected to reduce military manpower resources in the future.