White House cites South Korea as major Middle East oil importer; Defense Ministry echoes call for allied role

Trump vows to 'remember' allies who didn't help; Seoul leaves troop deployment on the table

US President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Morristown Airport in New Jersey on Friday (local time). [AP]
US President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Morristown Airport in New Jersey on Friday (local time). [AP]

The Trump administration has again pressed South Korea to expand its allied role, saying Washington is "still waiting" for Seoul to commit resources to the Strait of Hormuz as South Korea weighs military contribution options in the waterway. With the South Korean government leaving open the possibility of overseas troop deployment — provided it does not undermine readiness on the Korean Peninsula — attention is now focused on what form of support Seoul will ultimately offer.

A White House official, responding to South Korea's review of possible contributions to the Strait of Hormuz, said Sunday (local time) that "South Korea is one of the major importers of Middle Eastern crude oil" and that "we are still waiting for South Korea to commit resources to the region," according to Voice of America.

The US Defense Department also reaffirmed its position that allies must take a more active role in securing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

A Defense Department official said President Trump "has publicly stated that he expects allies to step up and support the defense of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz." On the possibility of specific assets or troop deployments, the official said to "direct those questions to the South Korean government."

Washington has repeatedly called on its allies to expand their military and security roles around the Strait of Hormuz as tensions in the waterway have persisted following the US conflict with Iran. Trump has specifically named South Korea in pressing for greater contributions.

In a media interview on Aug. 30, Trump suggested that South Korea and NATO member states had not done enough to support the United States in the war with Iran, saying he would "remember" that.

Trump went on to say that the United States could not continue to unilaterally support allies that would not stand up for America in return. His argument is that countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil should bear the costs and commit their own resources, rather than leaving the United States to shoulder the burden of securing the strait alone.

The South Korean government has been reviewing concrete options for contributing to the Strait of Hormuz in response to US pressure. A Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday that the government is examining possible contributions related to the strait and that military options are among those under consideration.

The possibility of overseas troop deployment has not been ruled out entirely. The official said that on the prospect of a deployment, "we believe there is room to maneuver, as long as it does not significantly damage our readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula."

The scope and form of South Korea's contribution are now drawing close scrutiny. With the United States directly identifying South Korea as a major importer of Middle Eastern crude and calling for a resource commitment, specific military support is likely to emerge as a key agenda item in future bilateral consultations.


sjy@heraldcorp.com