트럼프 ‘이란 비핵화 동참’ 압박에…정부 “호르무즈 군사적 기여 검토” 첫 언급

After Donald Trump, the president of the United States, expressed dissatisfaction that South Korea had withdrawn its support for efforts to denuclearize Iran, the government announced on the 17th that they were "examining military contributions" related to the freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait. The government rephrased the previously used "material contribution" term to "military contribution" to more explicitly convey their intent, which was to alleviate Trump's complaint that South Korea's contribution was insufficient.

The government confirmed that they had been actively participating in international discussions on a truce in Iran and recovering freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait, taking into account various factors such as the balance of forces on the Korean Peninsula and domestic legal procedures. This marked the first time the government had officially mentioned "military contribution" concerning the Hormuz Strait situation.

The government's stance was a response to Trump's claim that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had been asked about his willingness to participate in Iran's denuclearization efforts, but they had refused. The statement hinted that South Korea was not moving in line with the United States' desire for military contributions to stabilize the Hormuz Strait.

The government had been using the "material contribution" expression since Trump's speech at the Hormuz Strait Freedom of Navigation Initiative signing ceremony attended by over 50 world leaders on April 17. The government explained that "material contribution" is a broad term encompassing diplomatic, military, and humanitarian contributions, not limited to specific actions.

They clarified that with considerations such as the safety of South Korean military personnel, the Iran intervention controversy, and diplomatic friction, the government had been cautious in their response. While Trump had repeatedly demanded the deployment of US naval ships, the government had only used the "material contribution" phrase without openly discussing military contributions.

However, the government's decision to explicitly mention "military contribution" was likely a response to Trump's criticism of South Korea's lack of budget allocation for the US-ROK combined military exercises (UFS) and its insufficient contribution to the Middle East situation. Trump's UFS cost reduction proposal and its impact on the Korean military were seen as a strong pressure tactic against South Korea.

Trump's announcement of a significant reduction in the UFS prompted the government to emphasize their "military contribution" readiness in the Hormuz Strait situation. However, the government clarified that the "military contribution" examination would consider various factors, including the domestic legal procedures and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The military was reportedly reviewing a list of assets that could be deployed in response to a request from the US side, including ocean surveillance equipment, supply ships, and artillery detection systems. Although Trump mentioned the "significant reduction in US-ROK combined military exercises," there were no reports of the US side requesting a reduction in the "together exercise" as of the start of the day's exercise, which aimed to continue normally.