Korea weighs Strait of Hormuz deployment amid U.S. pressure

The government has discussed sending a naval logistics support ship and a maritime patrol aircraft to assist U.S. forces near the Strait of Hormuz, military sources said Thursday, though the Blue House denied that any decision has been made.

The discussions come as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Korea over the Iran war, claiming that Seoul rejected his request for assistance.

The possible deployment of a logistics support ship and other military assets was discussed at a recent joint meeting of foreign affairs and national security agencies, according to multiple military sources. The government could reportedly seek approval from the National Assembly for a deployment after deliberations by the presidential National Security Council.

"The government has been in close discussions with the international community on ways to make substantive contributions while taking into account factors including military readiness and domestic legal procedures," an official from the Ministry of National Defense said. "Details will be disclosed at an appropriate time."

Among the assets under consideration are the Navy's Soyang-class fast combat support ship, or the AOE-II, which has a full-load displacement of about 23,000 metric tons (25,400 tons). Another is the P-8A, the Navy's latest maritime patrol aircraft. The government is also reportedly considering deploying a maritime operations helicopter aboard the support ship.

A deployment of the support ship would involve a crew of about 140. Both the logistics support ship and the patrol aircraft are noncombat assets, a choice seen as taking Korea's diplomatic relationship with Iran into consideration.

While discussions over a possible deployment may be underway, the Blue House pushed back against reports that the government has made the decision to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz.

"[The reports] are not true," the Blue House said. "No decision has been made on the matter."

The Blue House also reiterated its existing position, saying "Our government has been in close discussions with the international community on ways to make substantive contributions toward the swift restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and peace and stability in the Middle East."

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Aug. 17 that he asked the Korean president whether Korea would join efforts to denuclearize Iran and received the response, "No, thanks." He later repeated the claim to reporters.

Trump also singled out NATO and Korea in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, accusing the two of failing to help with the situation in the Middle East and saying he would remember that.

The Korean government has repeatedly said it intends to "actively contribute" to efforts involving the Strait of Hormuz. With Trump's perception that Korea is not contributing apparently unchanged, the government is seen as considering more concrete options for military support.

The discussions also come as Korea-U.S. relations have faced strains over issues including the delayed investment package in the United States and disputes over the Korean government's handling of Coupang's data leak. A military contribution could provide Seoul with another means of easing tensions with Washington.

Any deployment would still require approval from the National Assembly. The government could reportedly also make any deployment conditional on the stabilization of the Strait of Hormuz without specifying when it would take place.

If Korea formally deploys troops at the request of the United States, it would mark the first such deployment in more than two decades. The previous decision was made during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, which sent troops to Iraq in 2003.

Several foreign policy and national security officials involved in that decision now hold senior positions in the Lee Jae Myung administration. National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok — who served as deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council during the Roh administration — defended the Iraq deployment in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo last year.

"The deployment to Iraq was a realistic and ultimately the best decision that could be made at the time, when U.S. cooperation was absolutely essential for peace on the Korean Peninsula," Lee said during the interview.

BY LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]