Seoul mulls joining naval coalition to keep Hormuz open after war

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Seoul mulls joining naval coalition to keep Hormuz open after war

Published: 20 Apr. 2026, 07:00

MICHAEL LEE
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

President Lee Jae Myung takes part in an international summit led by France and Britain to discuss the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 17. The summit was attended by some 50 countries. [BLUE HOUSE]

Korea could deploy an existing antipiracy unit in the Middle East to join a multinational naval coalition to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once the Iran war ends, government sources said Sunday.

“The government has internally been preparing to undertake a phased response to a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The final stage would involve direct operational participation, and discussions are underway on the assumption that, as a member of the international community, Korea would proceed to that final stage if a multinational coalition is formed,” a senior official in the ruling Democratic Party told the JoongAng Ilbo in a phone interview on Sunday.

Another DP official elaborated that “President Lee’s remarks emphasizing ‘substantive contributions’ should be understood as indicating participation in a mission to defend the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict ends.”

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back outlined this phased approach during a parliamentary hearing last week, saying Seoul was preparing contingency plans in case disruptions to commercial shipping through the vital waterway persist.

At the time of the hearing, the idea remained largely an internal contingency plan. But the sentiment began to shift after a summit on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, led by Britain and France on Friday, where President Lee Jae Myung pledged that Korea would make a “substantive contribution.”

“Korea imports roughly 70 percent of its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz and is therefore a key stakeholder,” Lee said at the meeting, signaling a willingness to move beyond diplomatic support.

The summit, co-chaired by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together leaders of 49 countries, as well as international organizations, to discuss ways to ensure free passage through the Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint effectively shut down amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Officials say that Lee’s comments are being interpreted internally as signals of his government’s readiness to join a potential coalition, though key details remain under review.

At the center of the plan is the possible deployment of the Cheonghae Unit, the Korean naval contingent currently involved in antipiracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden.

Rather than formally changing its mandate — which would require approval from the National Assembly — the government is considering expanding its operational scope to waters near the strait.

This approach would allow Seoul to contribute to coalition efforts without triggering a political controversy regarding overseas troop deployments.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 14. [NEWS1]

One course of action under discussion is to dispatch the ROKS Wang Geon destroyer, which is scheduled to rotate into the Cheonghae Unit in June, with enhanced capabilities such as antidrone systems.

Officials see the move as a flexible way to position assets for potential coalition operations while maintaining the unit’s existing mandate.

Discussions over a potential maritime coalition in the Strait of Hormuz have picked up as tensions in the region continue to disrupt shipping.

Twenty-six South Korean vessels remain effectively stranded in the region, with efforts to secure safe passage facing setbacks.

A Korean-flagged ship that attempted to transit the strait on Thursday night was forced to turn back despite prior clearance from Iran’s foreign ministry after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reimposed maritime controls.

The IRGC Navy elaborated on Saturday that the strait will remain closed until the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships in and out of the waterway is lifted.

“No vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy,” the IRGC said in a statement.

Ships and tankers float in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on April 18 [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker, and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center on Saturday.

India’s foreign ministry separately said it summoned Iran’s ambassador over a “serious incident” involving Iranian fire on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through.

The incident has highlighted apparent divisions within Iran’s leadership, with hardline military elements overriding civilian authorities.

Officials in Seoul say the prospects of extricating stranded vessels remain uncertain, with some expressing pessimism that safe passage will be secured before further cease-fire negotiations, mediated in part by Pakistan, produce results.

The fragile stand-down between the United States and Israel and one side and Iran on the other is due to end by Wednesday. Iran said it had received new proposals from the United States, and that Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations.

Still, the fact that at least one vessel previously received transit approval has led to hopes that ships could exit quickly if tensions ease.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON JI-WON, LEE YU-JUNG, YOON SUNG-MIN, MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]