Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Korea's Hormuz deployment, if decided, could take up to 3 months
U.S. President Donald Trump attends the presentation of a bowl of shamrocks by Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the White House in Washington, Tuesday (local time). UPI-Yonhap
By Bahk Eun-ji
Operational risks, timeline constraints complicate Seoul’s decision
Should Korea decide to send a mine countermeasure vessel to the Strait of Hormuz, just reaching the area could take three months or longer, military officials said, highlighting the operational challenges facing any potential naval deployment.
Officials familiar with the matter said that even if a decision is made, the timeline and preparation for getting assets into position would be shaped not only by the challenges of transit, but also by the difficulties of moving vessels through a high-risk environment.
While some have raised the possibility of redirecting the Cheonghae Unit — currently operating in the Gulf of Aden — to the Hormuz mission, the unit is not equipped with the mine-sweeping helicopters needed to safely operate in a mine-threat environment. Deploying a dedicated mine countermeasure vessel or an Aegis destroyer from a Korean port would therefore require a separate deployment process.
“One thing is sending a vessel, but once you factor in mine-clearing operations in the area, the situation becomes far more complicated,” a defense ministry official said.
Another official noted that mine countermeasure vessels are highly vulnerable to sea conditions, which can significantly delay or even halt transit.
“Sea conditions, including waves and weather, can slow or stop movement altogether, making it difficult to predict how long deployment would take,” the official said. “Depending on the circumstances, it could take several months or even longer. This is not something that can be wrapped up in a matter of weeks.”
The issue has resurfaced as U.S. President Donald Trump renewed pressure on allies to take on a greater share of security responsibilities in the Middle East.
Trump said most North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies had indicated they did not want to get involved in U.S.-led operations, calling the decision “a very foolish mistake.” He added that he had long viewed the alliance as a “one-way street,” saying, “We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us.”
By Tuesday, however, Trump appeared to walk back his calls for allied naval assistance, saying the U.S. no longer needed help from countries including South Korea to reopen the strait, citing what he described as "military success" in ongoing operations against Iran. Analysts cautioned that the reversal may not hold, given Trump's track record of shifting positions.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a National Assembly Defense Committee plenary session in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Against that shifting backdrop, Seoul has maintained a cautious stance.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said during a National Assembly defense committee session Tuesday that any deployment to the Strait of Hormuz would require parliamentary approval under the Constitution. He also stressed that no formal request had been made by Washington, adding that a message posted on social media does not constitute an official request.
Ahn further drew a clear distinction between the Hormuz Strait and existing overseas missions.
“The Cheonghae Unit’s primary role is to protect commercial shipping and counter piracy,” he said. “The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is fundamentally different, as it involves conditions closer to a wartime environment.”
Military officials also noted that even dispatching a warship would require significant preparation time. Previous estimates suggest that an Aegis destroyer could take more than two weeks to reach the region, while preparation alone may take more than a month.
Experts say the issue reflects a broader strategic dilemma facing Seoul, caught between alliance expectations and operational realities.
Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, said Korea may find it increasingly difficult to avoid pressure as Washington pushes allies to assume greater roles.
“Given the current trajectory of U.S. policy, Korea is likely to face mounting expectations,” Park said. “At the same time, any deployment to the Middle East is directly tied to broader strategic considerations, which means the government must proceed with caution.”
Cha Du-hyeogn, vice president and principal fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said it is important for Korea to signal alignment with U.S. policy while maintaining limits on its military involvement.
He added that emphasizing the North Korean threat could help justify constraints on deploying additional forces to the Middle East.
Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the conservative People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly’s defense committee, also emphasized the political dimension of the decision.
“A deployment of this nature cannot be judged solely on military grounds,” Yoo said. “It requires parliamentary approval and must take public opinion into account.” He added that the risks on the ground are “considerable” and warned that Korea’s current capabilities may not be sufficient to handle a rapidly escalating situation without careful planning.
Yoo also noted that while alliance considerations make it difficult to dismiss the idea outright, the government should avoid rushing into a decision. “This is a complex issue with both strategic and operational implications,” he said. “The government needs to clearly explain what kind of request, if any, has been made by the U.S. and how it intends to respond.”