Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung's chief of staff announced plans to visit Kazakhstan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia to negotiate securing crude oil and naphtha supplies. The visit is scheduled to begin later on Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the trip by Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, is critical as the South Korean government seeks to ensure stable crude oil supplies. This need arises from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route, amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Kang emphasized the government's urgent priority of maintaining stable supplies of essential resources. He pointed out that South Korea's reliance on oil and naphtha from the Middle East is significant, with naphtha being a crucial component for the petrochemical and other industries. Kang will travel as a special presidential envoy, accompanied by officials from the trade ministry.