Retired South Korean lieutenant general and former special forces commander Chun
In-bum said deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz would align with South
Korea’s national interest, citing the country’s large economic exposure to the
route and the importance of keeping it open. He added that, given South Korea’s
asymmetric relationship with the United States, taking proactive action could be
preferable. Under South Korean law any overseas troop deployment requires
National Assembly approval; if approved, the mission would be South Korea’s
first maritime deployment beyond the peninsula since the March 2009 dispatch of
the Cheonghae Unit to the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations.
