President Donald Trump’s call for South Korea and four other nations to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has threatened to block, has deepened concerns at the Blue House.
Seoul fears that joining a multinational maritime security operation in the strait could entangle South Korea in a potential armed conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
However, given that South Korean vessels are currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, the Blue House is carefully weighing the option of sending warships for escort purposes.
According to a News1 report on March 15, the Blue House plans to review Trump’s warship deployment request in consultation with the Ministry of National Defense and other relevant government agencies.
On March 14, President Trump took to Truth Social, expressing his desire for numerous countries to dispatch warships in response to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He specifically named South Korea, Japan, China, the UK, and France.
While Trump used the word hopefully when mentioning these five nations, he firmly stated that many countries affected by Iran’s actions, particularly those with direct interests, would cooperate with the U.S. by sending warships to maintain the strait’s openness and security.
As Iran counters U.S. and Israeli airstrikes by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, international oil prices have spiked. With public opinion souring due to the prolonged conflict, Iran appears to be seeking support from major allies. For South Korea, China, and Japan, which heavily depend on oil imports through the strait, this call is interpreted as a directive to take responsibility for the waterway’s security.
Sources indicate that the Trump administration has not yet formally requested South Korea to deploy warships.
Nevertheless, the Blue House is set to begin reviewing the matter in light of Trump’s message. They’re open to discussions, considering that a simple “escort operation” might not be viewed as direct combat involvement.
A senior Blue House official stated that its ships are in the Strait of Hormuz. Given President Trump’s expressed intentions, it will carefully review the situation. Regarding concerns that sending warships could be seen as combat participation, the official clarified that it’s difficult to classify this as combat involvement.
Should the government decide to deploy warships, the Cheonghae Unit, currently operating in the Gulf of Aden, would likely carry out the mission as part of a joint operation. The heavy reliance on oil imports through the Strait of Hormuz could serve as economic and security justification for such a move.
The Cheonghae Unit previously conducted independent vessel escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz during heightened U.S.-Iran tensions in 2020.
However, given the current Middle East crisis has escalated to a potential blockade scenario, the government explains that independent operations by the Cheonghae Unit are no longer feasible, and only joint operations are possible.
While Trump specifically named South Korea and four other countries, the South Korean government believes more allied nations could potentially participate. A senior Blue House official assessed that the scope isn’t limited to just these five countries mentioned in Trump’s message.