WASHINGTON: The South Korea Hormuz role moved into sharper focus Friday as Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Seoul was prepared to make a substantive contribution to restoring free passage.
Cho and Rubio met at the U.S. State Department on September 18 for their first bilateral talks since February. The Strait of Hormuz was among several security and economic issues on their agenda. However, Seoul has not announced a military deployment to the waterway.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that his government would not send troops in a way that could involve the country in an overseas conflict.
At the same time, he said South Korea needed at least limited measures to protect its citizens, ships and crude-oil transport routes.
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Before leaving for Washington, Cho said the government was still reviewing its options. He said Seoul would prioritise international cooperation, freedom of navigation and the safety of South Korean nationals.
South Korea had already signalled its willingness to contribute to safe passage through Hormuz during an August 24 call between Cho and Rubio.
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The South Korean Foreign Ministry said then that the two governments would continue discussing specific measures. The government has not disclosed what form the South Korean Hormuz role may ultimately take.
Seoul has also stressed that its review is driven by navigation, energy security and citizen safety rather than only by its alliance with Washington.
