(LEAD) Hegseth urges S. Korea, other countries to 'step up' to help reopen Strait of Hormuz

▲ U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., on May 5, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Hegseth-S Korea-Hormuz Strait

(LEAD) Hegseth urges S. Korea, other countries to 'step up' to help reopen Strait of Hormuz

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS more info in paras 6, 9-10)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday called on South Korea and other countries to "step up" to help reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, as the United States is conducting its "Project Freedom" mission to facilitate and restore safe passage in the waterway.

Hegseth made the remarks during a press conference at the Pentagon, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it is time for South Korea to participate in a mission to free up shipping in the strait, which has effectively been choked off amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

"We hope South Korea would step up just like we hope Japan would step up, just like we hope Australia would step up, just like we hope Europe steps up," he said. "But we're not waiting for them to do so. We're looking to set the conditions to hand to them."

The secretary pointed out that Trump has said countries that rely on the Strait of Hormuz for energy imports should join the efforts to secure the waterway.

"The president was clear in his Truth message that: 'Hey, this is your ship. You should take part in helping to defend it.' We very much hope they do," he said.

The Pentagon chief's call for South Korea to help reopen the strait added pressure on the Asian country, which relies heavily on the waterway for energy imports. Seoul officials have so far taken a cautious stance on the request.

Asked if Seoul is in contact with the U.S. military regarding a South Korean-operated cargo ship hit by an explosion this week, Hegseth said U.S. Central Command, which is in charge of U.S. operations in the Middle East, is in contact with the vessel.

"I think targeting like that is a reflection of the indiscriminate nature of what Iran is doing," he said.

An explosion occurred on a Panama-flagged ship operated by HMM Co., a major South Korean shipping firm, in the Strait of Hormuz this week. Trump has said Iran has "taken some shots" at the South Korean-operated ship and other targets, though an investigation is in progress to determine the cause of the explosion.

Commenting on the increasingly fragile cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran, Hegseth said the truce still remains, while defending Project Freedom as an operation to restore freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in the strait.

"The cease-fire certainly holds, but we're going to be watching (it) very closely," he said.

During the press conference, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said that due to Iran's attacks across the region, there are currently about 22,500 mariners embarked on more than 1,550 commercial vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf.

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