(LEAD) Trump says U.S. 'helping S. Korea a lot' when asked whether he wants help securing Strait of Hormuz

▲ 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)

(LEAD) Trump-S Korea

(LEAD) Trump says U.S. 'helping S. Korea a lot' when asked whether he wants help securing Strait of Hormuz

(ATTN: ADDS more remarks in paras 4-5)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States is "helping South Korea a lot," as he responded to a question about whether he wants the Asian ally to provide assistance to clear the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House, after he said 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.

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

Asked if the U.S. plans to escort merchant ships through the strait with or without allies, Trump said, "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. "So they'll have to get involved a little bit on that one."

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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