South Korea is examining a step-by-step role in international efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz safe for navigation, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Wednesday, according to Yonhap News Agency.
At a press briefing with South Korean media correspondents in Washington, Ahn said he had presented Seoul’s stance during talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday. Ahn described Seoul’s approach as one of measured participation by a "responsible member of the international community," and said Seoul would "review ways to contribute in a phased manner," Yonhap reported.
Ahn outlined several possible forms that phased support might take. These included political expressions of support, the dispatch of personnel, sharing of information, and the provision of military assets. He emphasized, however, that the meeting did not involve detailed discussions about expanding South Korean troop involvement.
"There was no deep discussion on something like specifically expanding our military’s participation," Ahn said, and he noted that any decision to alter levels of troop deployment would have to comply with domestic legal procedures.
His comments came a day after Seoul strongly condemned an attack on a South Korean-flagged ship near the Strait of Hormuz last week. South Korea’s presidential office denounced the incident but said it is still investigating who is responsible for the attack.
During the meeting, Hegseth urged allies to "stand shoulder-to-shoulder" in response to rising global threats and referenced U.S. President Donald Trump’s authorization of Operation Epic Fury as evidence of the U.S. administration’s resolve, Yonhap reported. Hegseth also praised South Korea’s plans to increase defense spending and take on greater responsibility for defending the Korean Peninsula, characterizing those moves as an example of alliance burden-sharing.
Separately, Ahn told reporters that Hegseth voiced understanding regarding Seoul’s position on a conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States, and the aim of completing that transition at an early date.
According to Yonhap, Ahn said the two sides also exchanged views on other alliance matters, including plans to build nuclear-powered submarines. He added that there had been no discussion of reducing U.S. forces stationed in South Korea or of changes to the strategic flexibility of U.S. troops based in the country.
The remarks underscore Seoul’s current posture of supporting international efforts related to security in the Strait of Hormuz while retaining constraints on committing ground forces or expanding direct military involvement without further domestic processes and deliberation.