Korea is reviewing military options to support navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as Cheong Wa Dae signals concern over alliance and economic pressure. The administration said any role could be limited to maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support vessel or a mine detection and clearance unit. It also said any move would follow domestic law, including National Assembly approval, while Korea continues talks with the U.S. on tariffs and alliance strains.
Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap
Cheong Wa Dae's acknowledgment Friday that Korea is reviewing military options to support navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a pragmatic response to growing alliance and economic pressures.
It's the clearest indication yet from President Lee Jae Myung's administration that Seoul is prepared to address concerns over strains in the Korea-U.S. alliance. The announcement came just before Lee's departure for a visit to France, which, alongside Britain, has co-led an initiative for nations to jointly oversee safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The presidential office also rebutted U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Korea declined to support his war against Iran, signalling that Seoul is prepared to address the strains emerging in the bilateral alliance. When Trump ordered an abrupt reduction in the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills recently, he connected it with Lee's purported refusal to support the U.S. war in Iran.
