Editorial: U.S. Warship Request Demands Balance Between National Interest and Alliance

U.S. President Donald Trump has singled out five countries, including South Korea, requesting they dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz to escort oil tankers.

On the 14th, Trump stated via social media that "countries affected by Iran's attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz will send warships along with the United States to keep the strait open and safe," naming South Korea, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France. This appears to be the U.S. presenting a "security umbrella" bill to allies, asking them to share war risks in addition to tariffs. A presidential office official emphasized, "We will communicate closely with the U.S. and make decisions after careful review." The deployment of the Cheonghae Unit, which conducted temporary merchant vessel escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz starting January 2020, is expected to be weighed.

The reality is that it is not easy for our government to refuse President Trump's request. This is because it could negatively impact bilateral issues such as USFK modernization and tariff and trade matters. The recent nuclear and missile threats from North Korea have made ROK-U.S. solidarity more important, which we cannot ignore. Additionally, approximately 70% of Korea's imported crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Protecting this shipping route is directly tied to our economic and security interests. However, the situation in Hormuz has deteriorated to the point where even U.S. warships are threatened. Pushing our destroyers into Iranian waters risks them being attacked. Furthermore, considering post-war order in the Middle East and Iran reconstruction projects, hastily turning Iran into an enemy would be problematic.

The government must seek a balanced solution that places national interest as the top priority while maintaining ROK-U.S. alliance cooperation. Even if warship deployment is considered, it should be limited to peaceful, defensive merchant vessel protection missions that do not deviate from international norms and the framework of friendly Middle East relations. As the possibility of forming a multinational force with the UK, France, and Japan has been raised, we need to closely monitor developments among allied nations. If the Iran conflict escalates into ground warfare or broader Middle East conflict, the U.S. may request ground troop deployment. The government must prepare detailed response measures for all scenarios. Above all, to prevent divisive national debate, any conclusion must go through bipartisan agreement and public consent. While expanding the Cheonghae Unit's independent operational scope rather than joining a multinational force would not require National Assembly ratification, even in such cases, building public consensus must be a prerequisite.