(2nd LD) Presidential office says no decision reached on troop deployment to Hormuz; review ongoing

The presidential office released a statement on Friday, indicating that a decision on deploying military forces to the Strait of Hormuz has not been made. The South Korean government is conducting an ongoing review of the matter, with the possibility of contributing to global efforts to maintain free navigation through the strait, provided it does not jeopardize its own defense capabilities.

A presidential official revealed that the government is considering seeking parliamentary approval for a plan to dispatch military forces, which may include a combat support ship. However, no final decision has been taken at this stage, as the ongoing discussion has not reached the point of seeking parliamentary approval. The official emphasized that the decision-making process would be influenced by the readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula and local legal procedures.

The presidential official dismissed claims that the Hormuz deployment issue has hindered the ongoing Seoul-Washington negotiations for their economic and defense agreement, which was part of a broader tariff deal. The official acknowledged that the bilateral negotiations are facing challenges, and that discussions on semiconductors are also being addressed.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, stated that the Trump administration is working on developing a targeted and thoughtful tariff policy for semiconductors.