Amid growing concerns over South Korea's potential military deployment to the Hormuz Strait, attention is focused on the discussions regarding the country's military contributions at the South Korea-France summit scheduled for September 8.
According to the Blue House, President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a state visit to France, will hold a private lunch followed by an expanded summit with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on September 8 (local time). The two leaders are expected to discuss cooperation in security, economy, and advanced technology.
While military contributions to the Hormuz Strait are not officially on the agenda, a Blue House official noted that France has been a leading nation in advocating for international solidarity for free navigation in the strait and that discussions on this topic have occurred in previous summits. The official suggested that it would be difficult to rule out the possibility of the issue being raised during the upcoming meeting.
As discussions about South Korea's deployment to the Hormuz Strait intensify, pressure from both the United States and Iran is mounting. A White House official stated on September 6 (local time) that South Korea is one of the major importers of Middle Eastern oil and emphasized that the U.S. is still waiting for South Korea to contribute resources to the region.
Conversely, an anonymous senior Iranian security and political official warned through the pro-Iranian media outlet Al-Mayadeen that if South Korea takes actions against Iran in the Hormuz Strait, it would be considered a direct military invasion and participation in the war. This situation presents a dilemma for South Korea, as it seeks to respond to U.S. demands while minimizing the risk of direct conflict with Iran.
Consequently, analysts suggest that rather than confirming the deployment of specific assets during the summit, South Korea may discuss its potential roles and conditions for participation in a multinational mission led by France.
In April, France and the United Kingdom held a virtual summit with 51 countries, agreeing to pursue an 'independent and strictly defensive multinational military mission.' The South Korean government has already expressed principled support for this multinational mission led by France. President Lee indicated on April 17 during the virtual summit that South Korea would seek to make a tangible contribution to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait.
The government is also engaging in strategic communications with the U.S. and France regarding the specifics of the Hormuz deployment. However, while the U.S. is currently demanding South Korea's resource contribution, France maintains that defensive operations will commence only after hostilities have subsided. Therefore, even if the Hormuz issue is discussed at the South Korea-France summit, it is likely to focus on confirming the roles and conditions for South Korea's future participation rather than an immediate deployment decision. There is also speculation that discussions may lean towards conditional and phased contributions rather than sending forces immediately, especially given the recent escalation of maritime conflicts, including U.S. attacks on three Iranian oil tankers and claims by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard regarding targeting oil tankers and U.S. naval vessels.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, stated, "The government is likely to consider the potential benefits it could gain from easing pressure or security issues, such as nuclear-powered submarines, when deciding on deployment. While it is unlikely that the Hormuz issue will be deeply discussed as an official agenda at the South Korea-France summit, there is a possibility that various military cooperation measures will be examined from a national interest perspective in the future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.