South Korea weighs military role in Strait of Hormuz amid Iran warning

South Korea is reviewing options for contributing to efforts to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as US pressure mounts, while Iran has warned against foreign military involvement. Seoul says it is communicating with relevant countries to ensure free passage.

Seoul: South Korea is closely communicating with relevant countries and the international community to help ensure the free passage of all vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said Monday.

The statement came after Iranian academic Mohammad Marandi warned that Tehran could regard Seoul as an enemy and target South Korean assets in the region if Seoul joins a US-led effort to secure navigation through the strait, according to the London-based Middle East news website Middle East Eye.

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“We are closely communicating with the international community, including relevant countries, to help restore peace and stability in the Middle East as soon as possible and to ensure the free passage of all vessels, including those of our country, through the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry said in a release, Yonhap news agency reported.

Diplomatic sources said the South Korean government has maintained open diplomatic channels with Iran and continued communication on matters related to the ongoing Middle East conflict, with the aim of promoting regional stability.

Later Monday, Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, posted a message in Korean on X, saying relations between Seoul and Tehran have developed on the basis of mutual respect and that Iran highly values its ties with South Korea.

“Any other country’s military presence or participation in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as direct support for the party responsible for the aggression and will have serious consequences,” the Korean-language post said.

The spokesperson highlighted that Iran and South Korea have maintained diplomatic relations for 64 years and that Tehran attaches great importance to its friendly ties with Seoul.

The post additionally included an image bearing a Korean-language message that read, “Dangerous choices come with consequences.”

The South Korean foreign ministry’s response was not immediately available.

US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up pressure on Seoul to make a military contribution to efforts to secure navigation through the strait amid renewed tensions in the Middle East.

South Korea has been reviewing various options for its contribution, including possible cooperation with Britain, France and other countries.

A senior official at Seoul’s presidential office said Friday that no final decision had been made on sending military forces or assets to the strait and that a comprehensive review of various options was still under way.

The official also noted that Seoul’s contribution could include noncombat and search-and-rescue forces, stressing that the government would consider options in a way that does not compromise the country’s defence readiness on the Korean Peninsula.

The military is reportedly reviewing a range of assets for possible deployment, including maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams and unmanned systems for detecting and clearing naval mines.

“We are reviewing various options based on operational needs,” a government official said. “We are discussing ways to contribute safely without directly participating in combat.”

Some lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party have publicly voiced opposition to any troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, while other progressive parties, as well as some civic groups, have taken a stronger stance against the possible deployment.

Under South Korean law, any overseas deployment of military forces requires parliamentary approval.