SEOUL, South Korea — Iran warned South Korea on Monday against sending military forces or taking part in operations in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, saying such involvement would be viewed as support for the United States in its confrontation with Tehran. The warning comes as South Korea considers military and nonmilitary options to help protect commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran valued more than six decades of diplomatic relations with South Korea but cautioned that foreign participation in military operations in the region would have “serious consequences.” He said Iran would regard such involvement as direct support for what Tehran describes as U.S. aggression. Iranian officials have issued increasingly sharp warnings as tensions with Washington have risen around the strait.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Seoul was maintaining communication with Iran and other governments while working to support peace, regional stability and the free passage of ships. President Lee Jae Myung’s office said no decision had been made on deploying forces. Officials have said possible contributions could include noncombat personnel, search-and-rescue capabilities, maritime patrol aircraft, mine-clearing teams or logistical support, and any deployment would have to comply with South Korean law and protect military readiness on the Korean Peninsula.
The debate has intensified as U.S. President Donald Trump presses Seoul, a longtime U.S. treaty ally, to contribute to efforts to secure navigation through Hormuz. South Korea faces a difficult balance: It depends heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies but also wants to avoid becoming directly involved in the widening U.S.-Iran confrontation. About 60% of South Korea’s crude oil imports pass through the strait, making disruption there an economic and national-security concern for Seoul.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, has repeatedly become a flashpoint during periods of Middle East tension. South Korea has faced similar choices before. In 2020, Seoul expanded the operating area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy naval unit to waters near Hormuz while remaining outside a U.S.-led maritime coalition, an approach intended to protect South Korean shipping without fully aligning the mission with Washington. The latest debate is more sensitive because of renewed fighting and Iran’s plans for tighter controls over parts of the shipping route.
Any further disruption could have consequences far beyond Iran and South Korea. The strait links Persian Gulf oil and gas exporters with markets in Asia, Europe and elsewhere, and renewed tensions have already contributed to higher crude prices and concerns about inflation and shipping costs. South Korea’s decision will therefore be watched closely by Washington, Tehran and other U.S. allies weighing how to protect global trade without becoming more deeply involved in the conflict
