South Korea Weighs Hormuz Coalition Role as US Proposal Complicates Decision

Government in talks with UK, France on multinational framework

Also reviewing US-backed maritime coalition proposal

South Korea is grappling with how to help ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. As it considers joining a multinational force led by the UK and France, Seoul is also weighing a separate international coalition proposed by the US, complicating its options. The government has said it intends to make a practical contribution as a responsible member of the international community, making some form of participation likely. Still, deploying military assets would face significant constraints, including safety concerns and parliamentary procedures.

South Korea's military has steadily participated in multinational discussions on support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz led by the UK and France. The talks began with a video conference of chiefs of defense staff hosted by France in March and attended by Jinyoung Seung, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Working-level and senior-level meetings followed.

A general-officer-level video conference jointly hosted by the UK and France was also held on April 30. South Korea was represented by an Air Force major general who heads strategic planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to reports. About 40 countries took part, and the UK and France explained their postwar operational concept. South Korea indicated only that it was continuing to review possible forms of contribution.

Seoul's continued participation in the talks signals support for international coordination to protect freedom of navigation. But deciding how to take part in actual operations is more difficult. If postwar missions in the Strait of Hormuz include protecting civilian ships or clearing mines, deployment of military assets could be discussed. That would require adequate security conditions on the ground, something officials cannot guarantee under current circumstances.

Some have raised the possibility of deploying the destroyer Wang Geon, which is set to replace the Dae Jo-yeong of the Cheonghae Unit currently stationed in the Gulf of Aden, or sending a logistics support ship. The military is also understood to be considering additional counter-drone weapons for the Wang Geon in light of conditions in the Middle East. Even so, the risk of exposure to multiple forms of attack, including drones, cannot be ruled out completely.

Domestic procedures are another variable. Military authorities appear to have concluded that sending the Cheonghae Unit to the Strait of Hormuz would require ratification by the National Assembly.

That has prompted discussion within and around the military of lower-risk options that could be implemented first, including dispatching liaison officers to the multinational headquarters to be formed later or taking part in intelligence sharing. Those steps would carry less risk than sending warships directly while still allowing South Korea to contribute to international coordination.

The US proposal has added another layer to the debate. The Wall Street Journal reported on April 29 that the State Department had sent a cable to US embassies outlining a proposed "Maritime Freedom Coalition" aimed at restoring commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Australia and New Zealand later said they had received related proposals from Washington, suggesting requests for participation are being made through diplomatic channels.

The South Korean government has maintained a cautious stance and has not specifically confirmed whether it has formally received such a proposal.

For Seoul, the issue requires weighing the US-South Korea alliance, broader international coordination, the UK- and France-led initiative, and the relationship between that effort and the US proposal. Because the US plan remains in an early stage, the immediate priority is to determine its operational scope, the level of contribution it would require and how it would fit with the existing multinational discussions.

Kim Dae-young, Hankyung.com reporter kdy@hankyung.com