South Korean envoy meets Iranian officials amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

South Korea has dispatched a special envoy to Tehran as tensions escalate over the blocked Strait of Hormuz. Chung Byung-ha, designated as the special envoy to Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, landed in Iran over the weekend and has since been engaged in high-stakes talks with senior Iranian officials. This diplomatic mission takes place against a backdrop of rising concerns for the safety of South Korean vessels and nationals in the region, caught in the fallout from a worsening standoff. South Korea