South Korean team returns from UAE, after Strait of Hormuz situation assessment
A South Korean government team tasked with assessing the security situation near the Strait of Hormuz returned from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, sources said, as Seoul cautiously weighs a potential military deployment amid U.S. pressure, Yonhap reported.
The team, which included defense and foreign ministry officials, left for the UAE on the weekend to conduct an on-site assessment of the overall security and operational situation near the strait, including inspecting key military bases and ports, as well as logistical and other conditions.
They arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Thursday, according to sources, without specifying other details.
The mission to Abu Dhabi was carried out very discreetly as Seoul is carefully deliberating its potential role in helping secure a free and safe passage through the crucial shipping lane amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.
The team's dispatch has widely been interpreted as Seoul leaning toward a military deployment to join U.S.-led operations in the region, triggering immediate backlash from Tehran.
The deployment issue has posed a diplomatic challenge for Seoul, as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration presses its key ally to commit forces and military assets to assist with U.S. operations in the region.
In a social media post as of Aug 16, Trump said when he had recently asked President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would like to join U.S. efforts to "denuclearize" Iran, he was told, "No thanks." Trump said he would remember Lee's response.
Local news reports have speculated on the potential list of military assets for deployment, including the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support ship and explosive ordnance disposal teams -- mainly non-combat assets.
However, the naval logistics support vessel has reportedly been ruled out as its operation would require dispatching more than 100 sailors.
The assessment team likely visited the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, home to a primary U.S. military installation in the UAE, to check operational conditions for the potential P-8A deployment.
Sending an assessment team to a candidate deployment site is part of the required procedures under the defense ministry's directives on overseas military deployment. Upon return, the team is obliged to report the result of the mission to the National Security Council.
The defense ministry, however, has stressed that the team's dispatch does not mean the deployment will follow, saying that its purpose was strictly to assess the security environment and safety conditions near the strait.
Earlier, it was reported that Seoul had dispatched an investigation team to the UAE to assess the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
