South Korea has announced plans to cut its dependence on Middle Eastern crude oil from 70% to 50% by 2035, as part of a sweeping 10-year natural resources security strategy unveiled by the Industry Ministry. The move follows disruptions to global energy flows caused by conflict in the Middle East, which exposed the country's vulnerability given that most of its oil transits through the Strait of Hormuz (a critical shipping chokepoint between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea). The plan also sets a target to keep natural gas imports from the region below 30%, expands strategic crude stockpiles by around 20 million barrels by 2030, and broadens South Korea's list of critical minerals to 51 — adding rare earths and germanium, a key material in semiconductor manufacturing.