South Korea prepares Hormuz military deployment, media reports say - Reuters

South Korea is reportedly weighing the deployment of military assets to the Strait of Hormuz to help ensure freedom of navigation, a move that comes as regional tensions rise after Iran launched strikes on American military targets in the Gulf in retaliation for a deadly attack on a wedding earlier this week.

The government is said to be preparing the administrative procedures required to obtain parliamentary consent for such a deployment. According to reports, a cabinet review will be completed this month, after which a consent motion is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly, with the aim of dispatching the assets before the end of the year.

Possible contributions under consideration include a maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support vessel, and a mine‑detection and clearance unit. Officials have also been consulting with partners such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France to determine the scale and nature of any potential contribution.

The presidential office confirmed that discussions are ongoing about practical ways South Korea could support navigation in the strait, but it denied that a final decision on a deployment has been made, stating that reports of a settled plan do not reflect the current facts.

In a related development, the U.S. president has previously indicated that joint military exercises with South Korea were being scaled back, partly because Seoul had declined to assist the United States in its conflict with Iran.

While preparatory steps are under way, a definitive deployment of South Korean forces to the Strait of Hormuz has not been confirmed and would still require parliamentary approval.