▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with travel executives in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Sept. 2, 2026, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap)
▲ This image, posted by Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson of the Iranian foreign ministry, on his X account, carries a Korean-language message reading, "A dangerous choice comes with consequences." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ This AP photo shows a motorboat passing a general cargo ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Sept. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is facing a high-stakes decision on whether to send military assets to help secure the crucial Strait of Hormuz, one that could affect the Seoul-Washington alliance and ties with Iran and fuel further public debate over the sensitive issue at home.

President Lee Jae Myung's administration has been deliberating on whether to join efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the strait, as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been piling pressure on Seoul, with Tehran warning of "serious consequences" for any participation in U.S.-led operations in the waterway.

Seoul has not made a decision on the matter yet, but it has sent an on-site investigation team to the United Arab Emirates to assess the overall Middle East situation, a sign that it is seriously weighing the possibility of military deployment to the region.

The consideration of Seoul's potential role in the strait came amid concerns that the Asian country's inaction could affect ongoing consultations with Washington over its push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and its drive to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) and other key alliance issues.

Analysts viewed the current situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz as another "inflection point" for the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

"It makes perfect sense for the Lee Administration to be seriously considering its options with respect to deploying military assets to the Persian Gulf in response to heightening U.S. pressure (or) requests for it to do so. I think they have been gaming this out for some time now," Rob Rapson, former acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, told Yonhap News Agency via email.

"Given the highly transactional nature of Trump 2.0 and its clear willingness to leverage any and all other elements of the alliance to get its way, I believe the South Korean government can find a way forward to oblige President Trump's demands, at some level, without necessarily compromising core Korean national interests and legal requirements," he added.

Trump has been putting pressure on South Korea to contribute to securing free and safe passage through the strait, a key shipping route for oil, natural gas, fertilizer and other commodities that Iran has effectively choked off amid the monthslong war with the United States and Israel.

In a Fox News interview late last month, Trump again mentioned South Korea for not providing help with securing the strait, saying, "I think you have to remember this stuff."

Earlier in April, he singled out South Korea, arguing that the Asian ally was "not helpful" to the U.S. despite Washington having stationed its troops "in harm's way" in the Asian country, which he stressed is located "right next to" North Korea's nuclear force.

Trump's comment came as Seoul is eager to build nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines, secure the rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful civilian purposes, and regain wartime OPCON from Washington -- projects in which U.S. cooperation is critical.

Asked if there have been formal or informal discussions on Seoul's potential military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon remained noncommittal.

"We refer you to the ROK government regarding any potential deployment," a Pentagon official told Yonhap News Agency via email. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"President Trump has stated publicly that he expects our allies to step up and support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.

According to the Voice of America, a senior White House official said that the U.S. is still waiting for South Korea to commit resources to the Middle East, noting that the Asian country is among the largest importers of oil from the region.

Complicating Seoul's deliberations on the issue is Iran's stern warning against any potential military dispatch to the strait.

"Any other country maintaining a military presence or participating in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as directly supporting the perpetrators of the aggression, and it will lead to serious consequences," Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, wrote on X on Monday.

His social media post also carried a photo with a Korean-language message: "A dangerous choice comes with consequences."

Seoul's deliberations on its potential deployment came as the Trump administration has been heaping both diplomatic and economic pressure on allies and partners to join its anti-Tehran campaign.

Aside from Trump's calls for naval assistance, his administration has been prodding allies to join its stepped-up pressure campaign against Iran, called "Operation Economic Outcast," warning that economic engagement with Tehran would run the risk of secondary sanctions -- penalties imposed on third parties for doing business with a sanctioned nation.

"This is going to be the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world, and we are going to (allies) and saying, 'You are either with us or against us,'" Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a CNBC interview last month.

He added, "It is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision."

Domestic challenges also lie ahead of Seoul's decision on the deployment issue as some politicians, even from the ruling Democratic Party, have voiced their concerns.

"(We) cannot accept any deployment of our military to the Strait of Hormuz for any purpose," Democratic Party Rep. Lee Ki-heon wrote on Facebook last week.

"Even if non-combat forces are deployed, its nature is clearly participation in the war. We cannot send our citizens and military into an open-ended war."

Amid growing concerns at home, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday that it is in close consultation with the international community, including the U.S., to explore ways to contribute "substantively" to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and peace and stability in the Middle East.

During a visit to France this week, South Korean President Lee said that Seoul and Paris will continue close cooperation to swiftly restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and global supply chain stability -- a remark that hinted at Seoul's move to deepen international collaboration on the matter.

The South Korean military is said to be reviewing a list of assets that it could deploy for potential operations in the Middle East if called upon.

The list reportedly includes maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal teams and unmanned equipment for mine detection and clearance.

A Navy logistics support ship was initially considered to be high on the list, but it has reportedly been moved down the list given that the operation of such a vessel requires some 100 sailors, among other issues.

South Korea has experience with military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.

In 2020, Seoul decided to deploy its naval forces to the strait for independent operations, temporarily expanding the anti-piracy Cheonghae unit's operational area to cover the tense waterway, amid pressure from Washington to contribute to its effort to protect what it regards as global commons in the Middle East.

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