South Korea Presidential Office: No Final Decision on Hormuz Deployment

Speculation over a possible deployment has been fueled by leaked working-level discussions and media reports, including claims that Washington had requested Seoul dispatch troops by November. Seong dismissed these reports as exaggerated and emphasized that the decision would be South Korea's own, independent of trade negotiations with the U.S.

President Lee Jae Myung's recent discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron about restoring freedom of navigation in the strait were also clarified by Seong not to signal an immediate military deployment. The two leaders pledged cooperation on the matter. South Korea has previously sent a defense ministry team to the United Arab Emirates to assess the situation, a move that has sparked debate and protests within the country, with Iran also issuing a warning.

Despite U.S. assurances that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and controlled by the U.S. Navy, South Korea is weighing its role amid complex geopolitical considerations and domestic opposition to troop deployment.