On the 16th, the Blue House said that the issue of sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz at the request of the United States "should be decided after sufficient time and sufficient discussions between South Korea and the United States." Lee Kyu-yeon, senior secretary for public relations and communication, said at a media briefing that "(the issue of sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz) is being closely coordinated between South Korea and the United States, and we will decide prudently." He also said they are communicating behind the scenes to determine the exact intent, saying, "We are looking into what intention the United States had in saying this."
In fact, U.S. President Donald Trump requested "the dispatch of warships" to five countries, including South Korea, via Truth Social, but there has reportedly been no request yet at the level of the U.S. administration. In particular, since Trump called on China, a strategic competitor, to "join a military operation," some interpret this as Trump's "pressure strategy against China" ahead of a summit with China next month. The intent is also interpreted as our government communicating to ascertain the true intent before discussions through official channels with the United States.
The Blue House also took a principled stance the day before, saying it is "paying attention to President Trump's social media (SNS) remarks" and that it will "communicate closely between South Korea and the United States and review prudently to make a judgment." This is because it is a sensitive issue that could significantly affect not only the safety of our citizens living in the Middle East but also diplomatic relations with the United States or Iran. This is also why the government is refraining from an official response. A Blue House official said, "We will carefully review the direction while comprehensively watching the responses of neighboring countries."
Earlier, on the 14th (local time), President Trump mentioned five countries in the order of China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom on Truth Social and demanded the dispatch of warships to the Strait of Hormuz. He added, "It is appropriate for the beneficiaries of the Strait of Hormuz to help ensure that bad things do not happen there."