Seoul, Sep 11 (IANS): Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told his Iranian counterpart Friday that Seoul has made no decision on a possible deployment of military assets to the Strait of Hormuz, officials said, amid speculation over Seoul’s possible military role in securing the strategic waterway.
Cho made the remarks during phone talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi as Seoul is weighing options for contributing to efforts to secure the strait amid US pressure. Iran has strongly opposed any foreign military involvement.
During the talks, Cho expressed deep concern over the recent situation in the Middle East and voiced hope that sustainable peace and stability would be restored in the region, according to the ministry.
On the Strait of Hormuz, Cho underscored Seoul’s consistent position that the free and safe passage of all vessels must be guaranteed and reiterated South Korea’s continued participation in international efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway, Yonhap News Agency reported.
“Cho conveyed our position that no decision has been made regarding a possible deployment and stressed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible,” a ministry official said.
“The ministers explained their respective positions on issues related to the situation in the Middle East,” he added.
Cho also asked Iran to pay close attention to the safety of South Korean nationals in the region, according to the ministry.
Araghchi explained Iran’s position on the current situation in the Middle East, while the two ministers agreed to maintain communication on regional developments and bilateral issues, the ministry said.
It marked the sixth known phone conversation between the two ministers since the US-Iran conflict began in late February.
In a Telegram post, Araghchi simply said he and Cho had a phone call “to discuss and exchange views on the latest regional developments.”
On Monday, Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, warned that any other country’s military presence or participation in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz “will have serious consequences.”
The Seoul government has stressed that no specific measures have yet been decided regarding its possible role in securing the strait, though local media have reported that the military is reviewing a range of assets for possible deployment.
A potential list includes maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal teams and unmanned systems for detecting and clearing naval mines.
The defence ministry sent a fact-finding team to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this week to assess the security and operational situation near the strait.
The government has said the mission does not presuppose a decision to deploy troops, though sending an assessment team to a potential deployment site is part of due procedures required under the ministry’s directives on overseas military deployment.
Upon its return, the team is required to report its findings to the National Security Council.
Under South Korean law, any overseas deployment of military forces requires parliamentary approval.
Any decision on a military deployment is politically sensitive at home, with even some lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party voicing opposition to sending troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
