South Korea’s Lee rules out combat troops for Hormuz

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday categorically ruled out dispatching combat troops to the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that Seoul would not be drawn into the ongoing war despite mounting pressure from Washington to secure the vital shipping lane.

No combat deployment

Lee told a televised press conference that South Korea would avoid any deployment that could trigger foreign entanglement. "Let it be clear. There will be no dispatch of troops that will lead to involvement in a conflict. There will be no engagement or involvement in war," he said, according to Yonhap News Agency. "There will be no war deployment," he stressed, reiterating that Seoul would maintain its principle of non-involvement and non-intervention, according to The Chosun Daily.

Protective missions

The president acknowledged, however, that South Korea would conduct the minimum level of activities to safeguard citizens and crude oil routes through the strategic waterway. The Cheonghae military unit has already expanded its mission in the region, while Seoul weighs deploying maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal teams and unmanned mine-detection systems, though no decision has been finalized.

Energy security

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital energy corridor for Seoul, which encountered difficulties securing crude shipments early in the conflict as commercial vessels avoided the contested waters. Washington has pressed allies to contribute to navigation security since hostilities erupted between the US, Israel and Iran, with Yemen's Houthi group also threatening shipping lanes.