South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with petrochemical industry officials in Seoul on Friday to pledge government support in securing alternative import routes for naphtha (a key raw material used in plastics production), following supply disruptions caused by the ongoing U.S.-Iran war in the Middle East. Seoul has already restricted naphtha exports to ease domestic shortages and obtained a temporary U.S. sanctions waiver allowing Korean firms to source the material from Russia. Industry representatives called on the government to urgently restore safe passage for Korean vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and to maintain close coordination with the private sector on alternative sourcing options.