March 15 (Asia Today) -- South Korean experts said Sunday that any response to U.S. President Donald Trump's call for allied naval deployments to the Strait of Hormuz should be framed around freedom of navigation and energy security rather than direct military participation.
Trump has urged major energy-importing countries including South Korea, Japan and China to help secure the strategic waterway, arguing that countries benefiting from the route should bear part of the security burden.
Analysts in Seoul said the request reflects Trump's broader transactional approach to alliances, under which Washington expects partners to share more of the costs of protecting global supply routes.
They warned that South Korea faces a difficult decision between safeguarding vital maritime transport lanes and avoiding the appearance of joining U.S. military operations against Iran.
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