The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of international cooperation regarding the Strait of Hormuz situation during a phone call with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
According to the ministry, Minister Cho held the call at Rubio’s request to discuss the recent Middle East situation and U.S.-Korea relations.
Secretary Rubio provided an overview of the current Middle East situation and future outlook, requesting Korea’s interest and support in restoring peace and stability in the region.
He particularly stressed that securing long-term safety in the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing the global economy and international oil prices require unprecedented cooperation among various countries. Rubio suggested maintaining close communication to achieve this goal.
In response, Minister Cho expressed condolences for the American service members who lost their lives due to the Middle East situation. He emphasized that peace in the Middle East and safe, free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz are crucial for the security and economy of all nations, including South Korea, and proposed continued close consultations.
Minister Cho also thanked the U.S. for its active cooperation in ensuring the safe return of Korean citizens and requested ongoing attention and support. Secretary Rubio affirmed his commitment to continued active cooperation.
The South Korean government’s public acknowledgment of the U.S. call for cooperation in the Strait of Hormuz suggests that Korea is participating in related discussions. Analysts interpret this as a potential signal regarding future maritime security cooperation or military contributions.
Previously, President Donald Trump had requested that seven countries, including South Korea, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France, dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Minister Cho also met with Secretary Rubio for a U.S.-South Korea Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington, D.C., on February 3. However, according to the publicly released information from that meeting, it was not specified whether they found common ground on issues beyond South Korea’s domestic efforts for tariff agreements and investment implementation with the U.S.