A bird flies near the Jag Vasant vessel transferring LPG at a port after transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid supply disruptions linked to the U.S-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Mumbai, India, April 1. Reuters-Yonhap
Korea is considering various options, including playing diplomatic, humanitarian or military roles, to contribute to international efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior foreign ministry official said Tuesday.
The official made the remarks after President Lee Jae Myung took part in a multilateral summit led by Britain and France last week to explore possible support from countries not directly involved in the U.S.-Iran war once the conflict ends.
Lee committed to making "substantive contributions" to ensure freedom of navigation in the vital waterway, calling for collective international efforts to help resolve the crisis quickly and establish a mechanism to ensure stability in the strait.
"Substantive contributions do not necessarily just entail deploying military assets. They span diplomatic, humanitarian and military options," the official said.
"We are looking at the most meaningful and effective forms of support, consistent with our legal procedures. This could even include information-sharing," she added.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Britain and France said a number of nations had indicated their readiness to provide military, logistical or financial contributions.
While Korea was not among those that expressed such commitments, the government plans to formally state its participation in the initiative in the coming days, the official said.
The meeting has not yet advanced to detailed discussions of each country's role, but gatherings like this are significant in that they send a unified message to Iran that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to transit, the official said.
"We have not gone so far as to discuss (additional) sanctions or other measures to pressure Iran," she said. "If such steps are considered, we will be in step with the international community where appropriate," she added.
Source: Korea Times News
