[Noh Dong-il Column] Deployment to Hormuz is an Inevitable Choice

The escalating military tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. demand for troop deployment present us with a difficult challenge. According to a public opinion poll conducted by Gallup Korea from the 8th to the 10th, opposition to deployment stood at 55%, surpassing the 32% in favor. The banner of opposition is clear, and there is a just cause. The current conflict between the U.S. and Iran is the result of the unilateralist stance spearheaded by President Trump. Participating in military action not supported by the international community lacks justification and carries a significant risk of damaging relations with Iran. Furthermore, we cannot rule out the possibility that our soldiers might be sacrificed or that our citizens could become targets of domestic and international terrorism.
However, morality and justification alone cannot navigate the harsh realities of international politics. Now that national security and economic survival are at stake, it is a time that demands cool-headed judgment with national interests as the top priority. The primary consideration is the security reality of the Korean Peninsula. In a situation where the North Korean nuclear threat persists and geopolitical volatility in Northeast Asia has increased, the stability of the ROK-U.S. alliance—the core pillar of our security—is a value that takes precedence above all else. In the past, when the Zaytun Unit was deployed to Iraq in 2004, the Roh Moo-hyun administration proceeded with the deployment despite fierce public opposition. It was a decision made to prevent a rift in the ROK-U.S. alliance and to consider the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Ignoring (rejecting) the situation where the United States continuously mentions South Korea and demands contributions as an ally could cause a rift in the alliance. There also remains the possibility that the U.S. may link pressure for increased defense cost-sharing or the reduction of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to these demands. Furthermore, the Republic of Korea is the world's top 10 economic power. It has become a nation that must break free-riding on security and contribute to the stability of the international order by securing the "freedom of navigation" for crude oil shipping routes. It is also a time when the country must demonstrate its enhanced national power by fulfilling an important role in the international community, even if it faces some difficulties.
From an economic perspective, the necessity of troop deployment is even more urgent. If the U.S. threat to impose high tariffs on semiconductors or automobiles becomes a reality, the South Korean economy will suffer a fatal blow. A demonstration of diplomatic and security sincerity is inevitable, if only to maintain smooth trade relations with the U.S. and avoid the worst-case scenario. The Strait of Hormuz is an energy lifeline through which approximately 70% of South Korea's crude oil and 30% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports pass. More than 1,200 South Korean vessels pass through this strait annually. The commitment to independently protect the safety of our ships and citizens is sufficient justification for the deployment of South Korean military assets.
The procedures and methods of troop deployment are also important. The opinion that a deployment proposal must be submitted and obtained through the National Assembly's consent is worth considering. This would secure legal and political legitimacy, and through the parliamentary discussion process, the necessity of the deployment could be brought to public attention and a national consensus formed. However, if the consent motion is stalled for a long time or rejected due to disagreements within the ruling party, there is a high risk that the relationship of trust with the United States will collapse and trigger economic retaliation. If deployment is to proceed, there must be no delay. A realistic approach would be for the government to decide to expand the operational scope of the Cheonghae Unit from the Gulf of Aden to the Strait of Hormuz.
There are opinions that participating as part of a multinational maritime security coalition is a good approach, while counterarguments suggest that participation in a multinational force could further provoke Iran. It is advisable to utilize the precedent set during the Moon Jae-in administration (2020), when the operational area of ​​the Cheonghae Unit was expanded to include the Strait of Hormuz. It would also be better for relations with Iran to maintain the independent status of our military and focus solely on ensuring the safety of our vessels' passage and securing shipping routes.
There are opinions suggesting that South Korea's troop deployment is merely a "scapegoat for the Iran war." If the country continues to maintain ambiguity and appears to be deploying under duress from U.S. pressure, it is bound to face such an assessment. The country must adopt a proactive stance, asserting that the deployment is intended to solidify the alliance and fulfill a role befitting its national stature as a responsible member of the international community. This shift in position should serve as a catalyst for resolving pending issues, such as preventing the recurrence of tariff threats, securing nuclear-powered submarines, and obtaining the authority to reprocess spent nuclear fuel.
The deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz is not a matter of moral superiority. It must be a "strategic decision" based on a cool-headed calculation of the Republic of Korea's survival conditions. Both morality and justification can only be upheld when supported by national survival, security, and economic stability. In the previously cited poll, 69% of Democratic Party supporters opposed the deployment, whereas half of People Power Party supporters answered that it should be done. If President Lee Jae-myung were the leader of the opposition party, he would likely have been the first to raise the banner of "opposition to deployment." The reason he is now forced to deliberate deeply is that he is a president who must prioritize national interests over partisan gain. This deployment to Hormuz is an unavoidable choice for us, and an inevitable one for the survival of the Republic of Korea.
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