South Korea weighs phased role in US-led Hormuz maritime initiative
Primary region Asia
Tags Security · Diplomacy · Policy
Regions Asia · Middle East
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Seoul is reviewing a phased contribution to US-led efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, following talks with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth in Washington on May 11. The phased support could include political backing, personnel dispatches, information sharing, and military assets. The meeting came after a South Korean-flagged vessel was attacked near the strait, and amid US pressure for allies to participate in Operation Epic Fury.
Strategic interpretation
South Korea is carefully calibrating its response to US pressure for military involvement in Hormuz, seeking to support the alliance without overcommitting forces that could strain its Peninsula defense posture. The phased approach gives Seoul leverage to extract concessions on wartime operational control transfer.