Although the option of a possible military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz is on the South Korean government's agenda, Seoul has not yet made a final decision. A presidential official said Friday that deliberations on the matter were continuing.
The official said that, if a decision is made, South Korea could contribute militarily to international efforts to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait, provided that the deployment does not weaken the country's defense readiness.
Possible military preparations for the strait
An official from South Korea's Defense Ministry previously said that concrete preparations had been made to send naval forces to the strait. Unnamed officials said the preparations included P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, a bomb disposal team and a logistics support vessel.
The South Korean government had previously said it would consider deploying forces to the strait after the war between the United States and Iran ended.
National approvals required
A presidential official said the ongoing discussions had not yet reached the point where parliamentary approval would be sought and that no final decision had been made. Any potential deployment would require a decision by the National Security Council, approval at a Cabinet meeting and the consent of the National Assembly.
A senior South Korean military official also said that talks with the countries concerned about base ports and operational bases were continuing.
Washington criticizes Seoul
Consideration of the option is continuing after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized South Korea for refusing to join actions against Iran. The United States also recently scaled back a military exercise it conducted with South Korea.
South Korea is a defense treaty ally that hosts more than 28,500 U.S. troops and other American military assets on the Korean Peninsula.
