Korea's limited Hormuz role may not satisfy Trump: expert

Scott Snyder said President Lee Jae Myung’s plan to expand South Korea’s maritime security role in the Strait of Hormuz while avoiding involvement in the war is realistic and constructive, but may not satisfy U.S. President Donald Trump. Lee said South Korea would not deploy troops or military assets into the war and is considering a stronger Cheonghae Unit role to protect Korean vessels, oil routes and citizens. Snyder said the issue reflects broader alliance strain, including trade and investment talks.

Lee Jae Myung said Friday that South Korea would not deploy troops or military assets in a way that would involve the country in the war.

South Korea is considering strengthening the role of the Cheonghae Unit to protect Korean commercial vessels, oil shipping routes and citizens.

Scott Snyder said the Cheonghae Unit has more than a decade of experience in multinational anti-piracy and maritime security operations.

Trump has publicly pressed South Korea to contribute to efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, making Seoul’s response a point of tension between the allies.

Snyder said other factors shaping the alliance include South Korea’s implementation of its U.S. investment agreement and the future geopolitical landscape in Northeast Asia.

Published Sep 19, 2026 5:20 am KST

A vessel from the Republic of Korea Navy's Cheonghae Unit is seen in this handout photo released by the military, Sept. 29, 2024. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

SEATTLE — President Lee Jae Myung’s proposal to expand South Korea’s maritime security role in the Strait of Hormuz while ruling out involvement in the war represents a “realistic and constructive” contribution, but may not be enough to satisfy U.S. President Donald Trump, a U.S. expert said.

Scott Snyder, president and CEO of the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and a longtime scholar of U.S.-South Korea alliance and security issues, said Lee’s approach is consistent with how South Korea has responded to similar U.S. requests in the past.

“Something along those lines represents a realistic and constructive offer from South Korea, but by President Trump’s logic such a limited contribution may not pass muster,” Snyder told The Korea Times.

Lee said Friday that South Korea would not deploy troops or military assets in a way that would involve the country in the war, while confirming that Seoul is considering strengthening the role of the Cheonghae Unit to protect Korean commercial vessels, oil shipping routes and citizens.

Snyder noted that South Korea responded to previous U.S. requests in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its contributions were largely tied to U.N.-backed post-conflict stabilization efforts rather than bilateral participation in an active conflict.

The Cheonghae Unit, meanwhile, has more than a decade of experience in multinational anti-piracy and maritime security operations.

Whether an expanded mission would satisfy Washington could depend on how the situation develops, Snyder said.

“Under normal circumstances, such a mission would be appreciated and desirable, but the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains dynamic and unpredictable,” he said.

Snyder added that protecting commercial shipping alone may not be feasible under some conditions or sufficient to meet U.S. expectations.

Still, Snyder said the issue should be viewed as part of the broader U.S.-South Korea relationship rather than in isolation.

“Korea’s potential contribution to security in the Strait of Hormuz is one source of strain and misunderstanding based on President Trump’s tweet, but it may not be the core issue,” he said.

He pointed to the broader security and trade relationship, South Korea’s implementation of its U.S. investment agreement and the future geopolitical landscape in Northeast Asia as other factors shaping the alliance.

斯科特·斯奈德表示，李在明总统提出的在霍尔木兹海峡扩大韩国海上安全作用、同时避免卷入战争的计划既务实又具有建设性，但可能无法令美国总统唐纳德·特朗普满意。李在明表示，韩国不会向战争部署军队或军事资产，并正在考虑加强清海部队的作用，以保护韩国船只、石油航线和公民的安全。斯奈德指出，这一问题反映了更广泛的同盟紧张局势，包括贸易和投资谈判方面的紧张。

李在明周五表示，韩国不会以任何方式部署军队或军事资产，使国家卷入战争。

韩国正在考虑加强清海部队的作用，以保护韩国商船、石油运输航线和公民。

斯科特·斯奈德表示，清海部队在跨国反海盗和海上安全行动方面拥有十多年的经验。

特朗普曾公开敦促韩国为确保霍尔木兹海峡的安全做出贡献，这使得首尔的回应成为盟友之间紧张关系的焦点。

斯奈德表示，影响该联盟的其他因素包括韩国执行其与美国签署的投资协议以及东北亚未来的地缘政治格局。

发布于2026年9月19日凌晨5:20（韩国标准时间）

这张由韩国军方于2024年9月29日发布的照片​​显示，韩国海军清海分队的一艘舰艇正在航行。照片由韩国联合参谋本部提供。

西雅图——一位美国专家表示，韩国总统李在明提出的扩大韩国在霍尔木兹海峡海上安全作用，同时排除参与战争的提议，代表着“务实且建设性”的贡献，但可能不足以令美国总统唐纳德·特朗普满意。

美国韩国经济研究所 (KEI) 总裁兼首席执行官、长期研究美韩联盟和安全问题的学者斯科特·斯奈德表示，李明博的做法与韩国过去对美国类似要求的回应方式是一致的。

斯奈德告诉《韩国时报》：“类似这样的提议代表了韩国提出的现实且建设性的方案，但按照特朗普总统的逻辑，这种有限的贡献可能无法通过审查。”

李在镕周五表示，韩国不会以任何方式部署军队或军事资产，使国家卷入战争。同时，他确认首尔正在考虑加强清海部队的作用，以保护韩国商船、石油运输路线和公民。

斯奈德指出，韩国曾响应美国此前在伊拉克和阿富汗的请求，但其贡献主要与联合国支持的冲突后稳定工作有关，而不是直接参与冲突。

与此同时，清海部队在跨国反海盗和海上安全行动方面拥有十多年的经验。

斯奈德表示，扩大任务规模能否令华盛顿满意，可能取决于局势的发展。

“在正常情况下，这样的任务是值得赞赏和欢迎的，但霍尔木兹海峡的局势仍然瞬息万变，难以预测，”他说。

斯奈德补充说，在某些情况下，仅保护商业航运可能不可行，或者不足以满足美国的期望。

不过，斯奈德表示，这个问题应该从更广泛的美韩关系的角度来看待，而不是孤立地看待。

他说：“根据特朗普总统的推文，韩国对霍尔木兹海峡安全的潜在贡献是造成紧张局势和误解的原因之一，但这可能并非核心问题。”

他指出，更广泛的安全和贸易关系、韩国对美投资协议的执行情况以及东北亚未来的地缘政治格局也是影响该联盟的其他因素。