SOUTH KOREA BACKS AWAY FROM HORMUZ DEPLOYMENT
Seoul has made it clear. No troops are heading to the Strait of Hormuz.
President Lee Jae Myung held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday. The talks focused on security and freedom of navigation. They did not discuss troop deployment.
South Korea is considering other ways to contribute. Possible options include maritime patrol aircraft and explosive ordnance disposal teams. But no final decision has been made.
A fact-finding team has been sent to the UAE to assess the situation. The mission does not mean troops will follow.
The move comes as the United States piles pressure on Seoul to join the coalition. Trump has publicly complained that South Korea has not been helpful.
But Tehran has warned of serious consequences if South Korea joins any military operation. Seoul is caught between two powers.
South Korea needs the strait. Over 60 percent of its crude oil passes through the waterway. It also needs the US alliance. And it does not want to become a target for Iran.
What happens when Washington demands a decision and Tehran is watching every move.