▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on March 20, 2026, in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) Trump-S Korea

(2nd LD) Trump says S. Korea, China, Japan have to get involved to secure Strait of Hormuz

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By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that South Korea, China, Japan and other countries have to get involved in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, stressing their reliance on the strategic waterway for energy imports.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House, after he said earlier this week that the U.S. no longer needs naval assistance from North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries or other nations amid their apparent reluctance to respond to Trump's request for support to keep the strait open.

"We don't use the strait. We don't need it. Europe needs it. Korea, Japan, China, (and) a lot of other people," he said when asked if the U.S. plans to escort merchant ships through the strait with or without allies.

"So they'll have to get involved a little bit on that one," he added.

Responding to a question about whether he wants South Korea to provide support for the efforts to unblock the strait, Trump pointed out that the U.S. has helped the Asian country "a lot."

"I love South Korea. We have a great relationship with South Korea where we're helping South Korea a lot," he said.

Trump has stressed the need for other countries to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying that they rely on the strategic waterway for their energy imports.

Iran has effectively choked off the strait -- responsible for about a fifth of the world's oil supply -- as the U.S. and Israel continue their military campaign against the Islamic Republic that kicked off in late February.

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