U.S. Energy Minister Chris Wright said on the 15th (local time) that, regarding President Donald Trump's request for five Asian countries, including Korea, to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz, "It is quite logical for a broad coalition of many countries around the world to cooperate to reopen the strait."
Minister Wright said in an interview with ABC that "every country in the world relies on (energy) commodities that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. At the very top of that list is China, and there are Japan, Korea, and all the countries in Asia," and stated accordingly.
Wright said, "The energy that comes out through the Strait of Hormuz is headed mainly to these countries," adding, "These countries are the ones most immediately affected by this situation."
Wright added, "But what is most important right now is first finishing the job of completely destroying Iran's ability to project military power in this region and around the world."
When asked whether the U.S. Navy would play a role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Minister Wright answered, "All of America's military assets—and, as President Trump mentioned, other countries' military assets as well—will move to reopen the strait."
He continued, "Our focus now is to destroy Iran's military capabilities, including those specifically used to threaten the strait," adding, "We must complete those missions first, and we will see the strait reopen in the not-too-distant future."
These remarks can also be interpreted to mean that neutralizing Iran's military capabilities should take priority before countries that import energy through the Strait of Hormuz, including Korea, conduct operations such as escorting merchant ships in the strait.
Regarding the rise in oil prices, Minister Wright said, "I think this clash will clearly end within the next few weeks. It could end sooner than that, but it will be over within weeks," adding, "After that, supply will recover and prices will fall."
He also said, "Of course we were well aware that short-term disruptions would occur. We also knew it would cause a slight price increase for the American public," adding, "But current prices are still much lower than during the Biden administration."