Trump pressures South Korea to join naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz

Tue, 05 May 2026 09:25:00 +0200

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly urged South Korea and other major oil‑importing nations to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open by sending naval forces, intensifying pressure on Seoul amid an ongoing Iran‑led disruption of the critical shipping route. South Korean officials have confirmed that a cargo ship operated by a Korean company was fired on while transiting the Persian Gulf, giving Trump a concrete incident to cite as he pushes Seoul to participate in a U.S.‑led maritime security effort. The South Korean government has so far stopped short of committing warships, instead emphasizing that it is closely monitoring the situation and consulting with Washington while weighing the diplomatic and economic risks of openly joining a military operation against Iran. Seoul’s hesitation reflects a broader dilemma: while it depends heavily on U.S. security guarantees and energy flows through Hormuz, it also seeks to avoid escalating tensions with Iran and other Middle Eastern partner