South Korea's presidential office said on the 5th that it is "carefully reviewing" whether to join "Project Freedom," a U.S.-led military operation in the Strait of Hormuz, "taking into account freedom of navigation and principles of international law, the defense posture on the Korean Peninsula, and domestic legal procedures."
In a press notice the same day, the presidential office said, "Freedom of navigation is a common interest of all nations," adding, "We are also paying attention to the related remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump." The statement came after Trump characterized a fire the previous day aboard the HMM NAMU, a vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company while anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, as an Iranian attack, and pressured Seoul by saying, "I think it's about time Korea joined this operation (Project Freedom)." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also held a press conference the same day, saying, "We are maintaining continuous contact with the Korean vessel attacked by Iran," and urging, "We hope Korea will step up more (in the liberation project)." Washington labeled the incident an Iranian attack and called for Seoul's participation even though the cause has yet to be determined.
The ship was carrying 24 people in total, including six South Korean crew members and 18 foreign crew members, and the fire was extinguished without casualties. The vessel will be towed to a nearby port. The presidential office said, "South Korea and the United States are maintaining close communication on an ongoing basis," while keeping a cautious stance on immediate participation. At an emergency meeting chaired by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, determining the cause of the fire was set as the top priority, and a decision was made to dispatch experts, Chief Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. The presidential office emphasized diplomatic balance, saying it is maintaining communication not only with the United States but also "with Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries."
