Defense ministry confirms Hormuz assessment mission, denies US set Nov. deadline
A Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft prepares to take off for a joint anti-submarine warfare exercise during RIMPAC 2026 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii, July 7. Courtesy of Kookbang Ilbo
Military source says November deployment 'extremely unlikely'
The defense ministry confirmed Tuesday that it sent a team to the Middle East to assess conditions around the Strait of Hormuz, but denied reports that the United States had asked Korea to deploy military assets there by November.
The ministry emphasized that the team’s mission was to assess the regional situation and security conditions and was not conducted on the assumption that Korean forces would eventually be deployed.
“The claim that the U.S. requested the deployment of our assets to the Strait of Hormuz by a specified deadline is not true,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added that no decision has been made regarding a possible deployment.
A senior military source also cast doubt on the possibility of Korean forces being sent to the region as early as November.
“The possibility of a deployment in November appears to be extremely low,” the source told The Korea Times. “It is difficult to confirm an exact date at this point.”
The ministry’s statement came amid growing speculation over when and how Korea could contribute to international efforts to secure freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway.
The government has acknowledged that military options are among the forms of “substantive contribution” under consideration, but has repeatedly said that no specific plan has been decided.
Possible options discussed within and outside the military include deploying P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and explosive ordnance disposal personnel for mine-clearing operations. A deployment of the Navy’s Soyang-class logistics support ship is considered unlikely because it would require a relatively large number of personnel.
Any decision to deploy forces would also have to take into account Korea’s defense readiness and relevant domestic legal procedures. Depending on the nature and scope of the mission, parliamentary approval could be required.
The presidential office said last week that possible military contributions could range from combat participation to noncombat and search operations, and that the options were still under review.