President Lee Jae Myung is confronting a major dilemma over whether to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz, with the prolonged crisis in the Middle East leaving him caught between conflicting national interests with little room for compromise. The United States, Korea's most important security ally, is intensifying pressure on Seoul to make a military contribution to U.S.-led operations as its war with Iran drags on. Making a military contribution may satisfy Washington and could lead to progress on other bilateral security and economic issues, but Tehran has warned that any Korean military involvement, including noncombat support, will have “serious consequences.” In addition, deployment could also trigger a strong domestic backlash, especially from liberal voters who form the backbone of support for Lee and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). On the other hand, refusing to join the war could invite retaliatory measures from Washington and complicate pending issues such as tariff negotiations, which could also affect domestic politics. “The dilemma goes to the heart of w