Days after the resumed strikes in Iran, targeting Larak Island and a wedding ceremony, killing four people and injuring more than 50, South Korea on Friday (local time) said it is considering helping the US’ security efforts in the Strait of Hormuz by deploying military assets.
South Korea considering helping the US in the Strait of Hormuz
Citing a statement from the president’s office, AFP reported, “Contributions to the Strait of Hormuz could be managed within limits that do not compromise military readiness,” adding that a review is currently underway.
is reportedly reviewing options that include military measures to support freedom of navigation in Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that has been a key sticking point in negotiations between Washington and Tehran and has been effectively shut since the conflict began in late February. However, the South Korean government has denied media reports that a decision on military deployment has already been made, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, several local media outlets, including JTBC and MBC, reported on Thursday (local time) that the country was preparing to deploy assets before the end of the year and could seek parliamentary approval this month. The South Korean government had also been discussing the scale and nature of a potential contribution with countries including the United States, Britain and .
An official told reporters that Seoul is considering practical measures to support freedom of navigation in the key waterway, confirming that military measures were among the options under review. The official said, “Nothing has been decided,” adding that the country would also have to consider domestic legal procedures, military readiness on the Korean Peninsula and parliamentary approval.
The official also noted that claims that South Korea was not providing any assistance related to the Strait of Hormuz were “not true”, adding that Seoul had been discussing practical contributions with the international community for a long time. Additionally, the official said that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is expected to discuss options regarding the when he meets French President Emmanuel Macron next week.
Why is South Korea considering helping the US now?
The possible deployment comes at a time when the US-South Korea security relationship is undergoing changes, with Washington recently scaling back some joint military exercises with Seoul.
Earlier in August, the US announced that it would scale back field training exercises and reduce the duration of its joint military drills after President ordered a “substantial reduction” in the annual war games, Al Jazeera reported. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which began on 17 August, has been shortened from 11 days to five, with the drills now scheduled to conclude on 21 August, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
The move came after the ordered the US to scale back its participation in the drills, pointing to his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He also tied the decision to South Korea’s refusal to take part in the US and Israel’s war against Iran.
Countries refused to join Trump’s efforts to reopen Hormuz
When the war began in late February, the US President called on several countries to help Washington reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply passed. However, most of these countries declined to get involved in the conflict, with nations such as the UK and the maintaining that this was not their war.
In March, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, “Europe has no interest in an open-ended war,” adding that while this was not Europe’s war, its interests were directly at stake. She also said that although there was a “clear wish” among leaders to strengthen the bloc’s naval mission in the Middle East, there was “no appetite for changing the mandate,” referring to the deployment of warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Kallas noted that “nobody wants to go actively in this war.”
However, it remains to be seen whether South Korea will assist the US in Hormuz and whether this will lead to a shift in relations between the two countries.
(with agency inputs)
