South Korea says U.S. made no request for Hormuz warship
· UPIJuly 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea said Wednesday that the United States has not recently asked it to deploy a warship or any other specific military asset to the Strait of Hormuz.
The presidential office issued the statement in response to media reports that Washington had requested the deployment of a South Korean naval vessel.
"The government has not recently received a request from the United States to deploy any particular asset in connection with the safety of international maritime routes and freedom of navigation," a presidential official said in a notice to reporters.
The presidential office said, however, that Seoul continued to consider ways it could help protect freedom of navigation through the strategically important waterway.
"We have continued discussions with the United States on possible forms of cooperation," the office said.
It said the government was reviewing practical contributions to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz while considering South Korea's military readiness on the Korean Peninsula, domestic legal procedures and other relevant factors.
The presidential office declined to disclose details of its discussions with Washington.
"It is difficult to publicly disclose the specific content of South Korea-U.S. communications concerning military and security matters," it said.
U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have asked South Korea and other allies in March to send warships as concerns grew that conflict with Iran could lead to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Discussions appeared to recede as the United States and Iran entered negotiations to end the conflict.
Speculation that Washington could again seek contributions from its allies has increased, however, following attacks on commercial vessels in the strait and the resumption of U.S. airstrikes against Iran.
Trump had also called on U.S. allies to participate in the U.S.-led Maritime Freedom Coalition before negotiations to end the conflict began.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260722010008019