The South Korean government shifted into "emergency mode" on the 25th to address the potential long-term energy crisis triggered by the Middle East situation. The Presidential Office (Blue House) and the Prime Minister's Office will each establish an emergency team to coordinate and implement relevant countermeasures.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok announced the decision at a press conference held at the Central Government Complex in Seoul on the same day. He stated that to prepare for the "worst-case scenario," including prolonged tensions in the Middle East, the South Korean government should adopt a proactive response system. To this end, the Blue House will establish a new agency called the "Emergency Economic Situation Room" to set policy directions, while the Prime Minister's Office will form the "Emergency Economic Headquarters" to lead interdepartmental efforts.

These two new agencies were established following instructions from President Lee Jae-myung. On the 24th, President Lee presided over a State Council meeting, urging the government to activate emergency mechanisms in advance to handle crises that could affect people's livelihoods and the economy. He also directed all departments to thoroughly inspect materials that might face supply chain disruptions and explore alternative import channels.

A Blue House official later stated at a press conference on the evening of the 25th that the "Emergency Economic Situation Room" will be headed by the Chief of Staff to the President, with the National Security Director and the Blue House Policy Director serving as deputies. The agency will consist of five teams responsible for macroeconomics, energy, finance, people's livelihoods, and overseas affairs. The Blue House will hold daily economic monitoring meetings and plans to hold at least one press conference per week to provide updates.

Hong Ik-pyo, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, said, "At this stage, it is difficult to assess how the Middle East situation will develop. Considering that the impact may last for three to six months, the government is preparing response measures for various scenarios." According to him, it may take about four months to normalize energy supply.

According to South Korean media reports, the newly established "Emergency Economic Headquarters" under the Prime Minister's Office will be led by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and will consist of five teams overseen by the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, the Minister of Health and Welfare, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, respectively.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok also called on the public to actively respond to the government's energy-saving measures, such as reducing private car usage and increasing public transportation. He expressed hope that the public would trust the government's response system, focus on normal economic activities, and work together to overcome the difficulties.

South Korea is highly dependent on energy imports. According to data from the Korea International Trade Association, approximately 70% of the country's oil and about 20% of its liquefied natural gas come from the Middle East. Following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran at the end of February, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been continuously disrupted, putting pressure on South Korea's energy supply.

On the 18th, the South Korean government raised the national resource security crisis alert level from the lowest level of "attention" to "caution." According to South Korean regulations, when the resource security crisis alert is raised to "caution," the government will strengthen measures to control oil supply and demand, exercise priority purchasing rights for jointly held international oil reserves, and seek alternative energy supply routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy launched the "Supply Chain Stability Support Center," monitoring 30 to 40 items closely related to people's livelihoods and industrial production. If supply chain issues are identified, the government will take countermeasures and expand the monitoring scope as needed.