Seoul weighs US request to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran conflict, citing energy security concerns and need for careful consultation.
SEOUL: South Korea said it is closely monitoring a call from US President Donald Trump for it to send warships to help protect oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the appeal on social media, naming South Korea, Japan, China, France and Britain as countries he hoped would send ships to the area.
A senior South Korean presidential official told AFP the government was “closely monitoring President Trump’s remarks” and would “carefully consider the matter in close consultation with the United States”.
The official added that Seoul was “comprehensively considering and exploring various measures… to ensure the safety of energy transport routes”.
Like other Asian economies, South Korea relies heavily on energy imports that transit the strategic waterway.
The conflict has already prompted Seoul to impose a fuel price cap to ease pressure on its energy supply.
Earlier, a senior Japanese official indicated a high legal and political threshold for such a deployment.
Takayuki Kobayashi, policy chief for Japan’s ruling party, said sending navy ships was something “that must be considered with great caution”.
Iranian attacks and threats have nearly halted shipping in the strait since US-Israeli forces launched a war against Iran.
Approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz.