Trump’s request to send warships to Hormuz puts pressure on Korea

Members of the Republic of Korea Navy's Cheonghae Unit conduct maritime training in this photo released Sept. 29, 2024, by the military, marking the 76th Armed Forces Day. The anti-piracy unit, established in March 2009, has been deployed to the Gulf of Aden to protect Korean vessels and citizens in the region. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

Korea faces a strategic dilemma after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly called on Seoul and several other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to support a U.S.-led effort to secure the vital Gulf shipping route.

The request forces Seoul to weigh its alliance with Washington and its reliance on Middle Eastern energy supplies against the risks of being drawn into an escalating conflict involving Iran, analysts said Sunday.

On Saturday, Trump urged five countries, including Korea, to send warships to the region as the United States seeks to reopen the key maritime passage that Iran has effectively blockaded.

"Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe," Trump wrote on social media.

"Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated."

U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions from the media before boarding Air Force One, in the U.S. state of Maryland, Friday (local time). AFP-Yonhap

Seoul officials are reviewing the matter, although it remains unclear whether Washington has made an official request.

If warships were to be deployed, one possible option would be the Republic of Korea Navy's Cheonghae Unit, an anti-piracy force that conducts maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen.

In 2020, following the U.S. killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the key architect of Iran's regional security strategy, Korea expanded the mission of the Cheonghae Unit to the Strait of Hormuz, although it stopped short of joining the U.S.-led maritime security coalition.

Observers say maintaining that kind of strategic ambiguity could be more difficult under the current circumstances.

"The current situation is different from then. This is a full-scale war," said Doo Jin-ho, a security expert at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

Opting out could strain the alliance with Washington, as the decision may affect ongoing trade negotiations and discussions over Seoul's plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

However, participating in U.S.-led military operations carries its own risks.

If Korea becomes directly involved in operations in the strait, Korean businesses operating across the Middle East could face potential retaliation from Iran.

"Providing limited military support by escorting Korean commercial vessels and those of allied nations in Hormuz would be a realistic option, but it may not satisfy Washington," Doo said.

Given the rapidly evolving situation, Seoul may have to reach a decision sooner rather than later, he added.

"We will maintain close communication with the U.S. and prudently review the matter before making a decision," a Cheong Wa Dae official said regarding Trump's request.

"The safety of international shipping lanes and the freedom of navigation serve the interests of all countries, and are protected under international law," said the presidential official, expressing hopes that the maritime logistics network will be normalized as soon as possible based on these principles.

Seoul is also expected to closely monitor the responses of the four other countries mentioned by Trump. So far, there have been few indications that any of them plan to send warships.

CNN quoted Chinese authorities saying that "all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply." The U.K. government told Reuters it was discussing with allies a "range of options" to ensure the safety of shipping in the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that "nothing has been decided” regarding the dispatch of Japanese warships to the strait. But the issue is expected to come up when she meets with Trump at a summit in the U.S. slated for Thursday (local time).

A vessel from the Republic of Korea Navy's Cheonghae Unit is seen in this handout photo released by the military, Sept. 29, 2024. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

Trump's call comes as Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which millions of barrels of oil pass daily, in response to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran which began Feb. 28.

Beyond security considerations, procedural hurdles could also complicate any warship deployment.

The National Assembly's mandate for the Cheonghae Unit limits its operational area to waters in and around the Gulf of Aden.

When the unit's mission was expanded toward the Strait of Hormuz in 2020, the government relied on a clause allowing operations in "designated waters when necessary to protect Korean nationals," enabling the deployment without seeking additional parliamentary approval.

This time, however, the situation seems different. If the unit were to operate as part of a multinational force, rather than independently, it would require parliamentary approval.