U.S. Secretary of State Says Naval Support in the Strait of Hormuz Would Benefit Asian Allies, Including South Korea

[Financial News] Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State, suggested that it would also serve the interests of Asian allies, including South Korea, to provide naval assets such as mine-clearing capabilities for maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, indicating the need for support from Asian allies for a deployment to the region.
Speaking to reporters on the 22nd (local time) in Manila, where he was attending the foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Rubio was asked whether the United States had requested naval support from Asian allies such as South Korea. He replied, "We did not make such a request today," adding, "We have had those conversations in the past."
He said, "Some of these countries have unmatched capabilities in areas such as mine clearing," and added, "It would be great if they joined this effort, and I think some of them may eventually do so. It would be in their interest to do that." He continued, "They rely heavily on the oil and natural gas that come from this region," and added, "It is in their interest to take part in this effort."
Earlier, some domestic media outlets reported that the Donald Trump administration had recently asked the Government of the Republic of Korea to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. In March, the United States also publicly called on South Korea, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and France to send warships to protect vessels in the strait.
Rubio's remarks on the day appeared to mean that while such a request had been made at the start of the war with Iran, no additional discussions on warship support had taken place recently. He added, "We did not reach any agreement on the issue today," and said, "To be honest, that was not the main focus of today's conversation."
[email protected] Hong Chaewan Reporter