South Korea Considers Phased Hormuz Contributions After Pentagon Talks

Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held talks at the Pentagon on Monday that centered on alliance modernization, wartime operational control transfer, and South Korea's potential role in securing the Strait of Hormuz. The discussions exposed a timeline gap on OPCON transfer: Seoul targets 2028, while U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson previously told Congress the allies aim to meet conditions by no later than Q1 2029. Ahn stressed Seoul's firm position on early transfer, while Hegseth emphasized burden-sharing and called on allies to stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States during times of conflict.

The Hormuz discussions were catalyzed by a May 4 attack on the Panama-flagged HMM Namu, a cargo ship operated by a Korean company, which was struck twice by unidentified flying objects while anchored near the UAE on the inner side of the strait. South Korea strongly condemned the attack and launched a joint investigation with the U.S. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac said a missile strike remains among possible explanations, adding that further assessment is needed.

Following the Pentagon talks, Ahn announced Seoul would review phased contributions to the U.S.-proposed Maritime Freedom Construct, ranging from political support and intelligence sharing to personnel dispatches and military asset provision. He stressed no detailed discussions occurred on expanding Korean troop involvement and that any decisions must follow domestic legal procedures. Wi Sung-lac echoed this, saying Seoul is examining various forms of international solidarity and that there could be military roles at various levels. The U.S. reportedly did not explicitly request Korean military assets or troop deployments.

President Donald Trump has pressured allies to support maritime security efforts, threatening to expand the initiative into what he called Project Freedom plus if a deal with Iran is not reached. Trump paused the separate U.S. military mission Project Freedom in early May to assess prospects for a peace agreement. South Korea also participated in a multinational virtual defense ministerial meeting on Hormuz security co-chaired by Britain and France, which brought together officials from over 40 countries to turn diplomatic agreement into practical military plans.