By Heejin Kim and Kyu-seok Shim
SEOUL, Sept 4 (Reuters) – South Korea is reviewing options, including military measures, to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidential office said on Friday, while denying media reports that the government had already decided on a deployment.
Several South Korean media outlets, including JTBC and MBC, reported late on Thursday that Seoul was preparing to deploy military assets before the end of the year and could seek parliamentary approval this month.
The reports said options under consideration included a maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support vessel or a mine detection and clearance unit.
Seoul had also been discussing the scale and nature of a potential contribution with countries including the United States, Britain and France, they said.
A presidential official told reporters that South Korea had been discussing practical ways to contribute to freedom of navigation in the strait and confirmed that military measures were among the options under review.
“Nothing has been decided,” the official said, adding that Seoul would also have to consider domestic legal procedures, military readiness on the Korean Peninsula and parliamentary approval.
The official also said claims that South Korea had provided no assistance related to the Strait of Hormuz were “not true”, saying Seoul had long discussed practical contributions with the international community.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung may discuss options on the Strait of Hormuz when he meets French President Emmanuel Macron next week, the official said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an August social media post that he had scaled back U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises in part because South Korea had declined to help the United States in the war against Iran.
MANAGING ALLIANCE RISKS
Ban Kil-joo, a professor of international security studies at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said a deployment would send an important signal to Washington that Seoul remains willing to shoulder alliance responsibilities despite recent friction over trade and other issues.
“A deployment would help South Korea manage alliance risks and reinforce its credentials as a model U.S. ally at a time when Washington is asking partners to do more,” Ban said.
Ban said the reported options pointed to a “medium-intensity” contribution that would demonstrate Seoul’s support for international efforts in the Strait of Hormuz without amounting to participation in combat operations against Iran.
Retired Lieutenant General Chun In-bum, a former South Korean special forces commander, said a deployment would be in line with South Korea’s national interests.
“It is important to contribute to ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open because South Korea has significant economic interests tied to the waterway,” Chun told Reuters.
He said South Korea’s “asymmetric” relationship with the United States made a proactive response preferable.
Under South Korean law, overseas military deployments require approval by the National Assembly.
Public support may be limited. In March, a Gallup Korea poll found 55% opposed sending South Korean warships to the Strait of Hormuz, while 30% supported such a move.
If approved, the mission could mark South Korea’s first maritime deployment outside the Korean Peninsula since the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit was dispatched to the Gulf of Aden in March 2009, according to Defence Ministry records.
The unit remains deployed off Somalia as part of international maritime security efforts and to protect commercial shipping.
South Korea relied on the Strait of Hormuz for 61% of its crude oil imports and 54% of its naphtha imports last year.
(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim and Heejin Kim; Editing by Stephen Coates and Ed Davies)
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