South Korea is reported to be reconsidering joining the U.S. adventure in Iran. The government had been moving toward more concrete discussions over what personnel and military assets could be sent to the region following a U.S. request for greater allied participation. But the renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz has prompted Seoul to reassess its options, according to government sources, reported The Korea Herald.
The Defense Ministry in Seoul on Monday stressed that no decision had been reached. “We are closely consulting with the international community, including the U.S., on ways to make a substantive contribution toward the swift restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and peace and stability in the Middle East,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Bin-na told a regular briefing. “No specific measures have been decided at this point,” she added.
The Herald notes that the cautious wording marks a shift from the Ministry’s tone last week, when it said details regarding a possible contribution would be disclosed “at an appropriate time,” suggesting discussions had made progress.
Tehran, meanwhile, issued a direct warning to Seoul on Monday over any potential South Korean military involvement in the region. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a Monday Korean-language post on X that while Tehran highly values its longstanding friendly relations with South Korea, any foreign military presence or participation in operations in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz under the current circumstances would be regarded as direct support for U.S. military action. Such involvement “would have serious consequences,” Baqaei warned, urging countries not to yield to what he described as U.S. pressure to participate in military action against Iran.
