Security chief says Seoul is reviewing 'levels of military roles' in U.S.-led Hormuz initiatives

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Wednesday that South Korea is considering U.S.-led initiatives to enable safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and reviewing "various levels of military roles." 

"The United States has proposed cooperation measures regarding the free passage of the Strait of Hormuz, such as the 'Maritime Freedom Construct' and 'Project Freedom,'" Wi said at a Korea News Editors' Association panel at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul. "Our government is reviewing the Maritime Freedom Construct in relation to other international cooperation initiatives."

He noted that "there could be various levels of military roles" that Seoul can take on regarding navigation of the strait, noting that the government "will review several stages, starting at the lowest level," without elaborating.

On Sunday, a South Korean investigation team concluded that unidentified airborne objects caused an explosion aboard a Panama-flagged cargo vessel operated by Korean shipping company HMM that was anchored near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month. The strait, a key global oil chokepoint, has been blockaded since late February due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

After the explosion aboard the HMM Namu, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that Iran has "taken shots" at a Korean cargo ship, adding that it may be time for Seoul to join his "Project Freedom" initiative, a U.S. operation to guide vessels stranded in the blockaded channel. The "Maritime Freedom Construct," in tandem, aims to improve coordination and information sharing among international partners. Seoul has yet to confirm the perpetrator of the Namu attack.

During Wednesday's meeting, Wi said regarding the unidentified flying objects that collided with the Namu, "There were no grounds to conclude that this was a drone," but didn't rule out the possibility of a missile.

"If it wasn't a drone, it could have been a missile," Wi said, adding that "various possibilities remain open" and Seoul will make a decision "after considering the results of the investigation." 

This comes amid speculation that Iran-linked suicide drones struck the vessel, and the United Arab Emirates' Foreign Ministry in a statement Monday calling the strike on HMM Namu a "terrorist attack."  

The South Korean government is "reviewing various forms of international solidarity to ensure free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and we are discussing what we can contribute, but nothing has been decided yet," Wi also said.

He didn't further describe what a South Korean "military role" would entail, nor whether it would encompass a direct deployment of military forces or indirect support for the international community's military movements.

Wi noted that President Lee Jae Myung recently took part in a virtual summit led by Britain and France and expressed his intention to make a substantial contribution to the freedom of navigation cause, and is "actively participating in follow-up consultations regarding multinational military cooperation and diplomatic efforts."

The security adviser said that it is "difficult to provide specific details as we are currently reviewing the matter," taking a cautious stance.

Regarding the attack on the ship, Wi elaborated that South Korea has "closely coordinated with UAE authorities to swiftly proceed with the investigation by the government's joint team." He said that the Korean embassy in the UAE promptly provided support after becoming aware of an injury to a crew member.

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said in Washington on Wednesday that he told U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Seoul will review making phased contributions to the U.S.-led initiative to restore safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz.

However, he said the two sides didn't hold any in-depth discussions regarding expanding the South Korean military's participation and also noted there are "domestic legal procedures."

The overseas deployment of the military requires ratification by the National Assembly.

Wi, during the news editors' meeting, also said that the road map towards the transfer of wartime operational control, or Opcon, from the U.S. to the South Korean military will be completed this year.

Regarding the direction of the Lee administration's foreign affairs and security policy, Wi stressed that Seoul will "build a security system befitting a top-five military power by expanding our own capabilities while maintaining a solid South Korea-U.S. alliance."

He said Seoul will secure such capabilities through measures such as increasing defense spending so that the military can play a leading role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula.

Regarding the peace policy on the peninsula, he stressed that Seoul will "make every effort possible to restore inter-Korean relations," while adding that it "will not excessively rush" this process.

"We intend to seek diplomatic opportunities for contact between North Korea and the United States, while maintaining close consultations with Washington regarding plans for dialogue with Pyongyang and denuclearization," Wi said. He also encouraged China and Russia to play a "constructive role" in the Korean Peninsula issue.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]