Trump Urges South Korea to Send Warships; Blue House Says It Is in Close Contact With U.S.

New York City / Seoul — Correspondent Lee Byung-chul and Reporter Choi Jong-geun of Financial News — United States President Donald Trump has publicly called on four key allied nations, including South Korea, as well as China, to send warships to help secure the safety of the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 14th local time, he wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, "Many countries, especially those affected by Iran's attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, will be sending warships, along with the United States, to keep the strait open and safe." He added, "We have destroyed 100% of Iran's military capability, but it is easy for them to send one or two drones, drop mines, or launch short-range missiles."
He went on to write, "Hopefully, to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer threatened, China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries affected by this artificial constraint (the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz) will also send their vessels there." Because he prefaced his remarks with "hopefully," they are still being interpreted as a request rather than a formal demand. This is the first time during the current war that President Trump has explicitly urged third countries to join military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In an interview with National Broadcasting Company (NBC) the same day, he said in connection with this request, "They have not only promised, but I think it's a great idea." Trump later posted again on Truth Social, saying, "The nations of the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz need to manage that route," and added, "We will help. A lot." By asking South Korea and others to dispatch warships and take on a management role in the strait while saying that "the United States will help," he appears to be seeking to place the burden of escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz—missions that carry a high risk of casualties—primarily on other countries. The United States' dependence on Middle Eastern crude oil is very low.
President Trump also stated, "The United States will coordinate with those countries to ensure that everything proceeds quickly, smoothly, and well," and stressed, "In the meantime, the United States will bomb (Iran's) coastline, continue to sink Iranian vessels and ships, and, in one way or another, soon make the Strait of Hormuz open, safe, and free."
A Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) official, commenting on the matter, said, "We will make our judgment through close communication within South Korea–United States relations and careful review," and added, "The safety of international sea lines of communication and freedom of navigation serve the interests of all countries and are protected under International law. On this basis, we hope the global maritime logistics network can return to normal as soon as possible."
pride@fnnews.com Reporter