By The South Asia Times

SEOUL - South Korea has dispatched an investigation team to the United Arab Emirates to assess the security situation around the conflict-stricken Strait of Hormuz, as Seoul faces mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to provide support for efforts to secure the vital waterway, according to Yonhap News.

The team left for the UAE over the weekend and could return as early as this week, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The mission is expected to assess conditions in and around the strait as Seoul considers what practical contribution it could make to restoring freedom of navigation.

The move comes after President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized South Korea for declining to provide military assistance to the US campaign against Iran.

Trump said last month that he had asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would join the United States in efforts aimed at Iran’s “denuclearization,” claiming Lee responded, “No thanks!” Trump subsequently linked Seoul’s refusal to his decision to significantly scale back annual US-South Korean military exercises.

Trump has also questioned why South Korea would not provide assistance when tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea has so far stopped short of committing military forces to the Hormuz mission, emphasizing that any overseas deployment must follow its domestic legal procedures.

The presidential office said last week that no decision had been made on deploying troops and that Seoul was reviewing both military and non-military options while taking into account the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean officials have also indicated that sending military forces overseas would require consideration of National Assembly approval, particularly if the mission goes beyond the mandate of existing anti-piracy operations.

South Korea’s defense minister previously told parliament that a new deployment to Hormuz would require legislative consent because the mission would be substantially different from the country's existing anti-piracy mandate.

A senior presidential official said Seoul was reviewing the issue under domestic legal procedures and considering the need to maintain an appropriate defense posture on the Korean Peninsula.

“There are both combat and non-combat options,” the official said, adding that reconnaissance and other forms of assistance were among the possibilities under review.

The Strait of Hormuz is critical to South Korea’s energy security. Seoul relies heavily on the waterway for crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies from the Middle East.

Officials have described freedom of navigation through the strait as a major national interest, with South Korea examining ways to contribute without becoming directly involved in combat operations.

Possible options previously reported include maritime surveillance, a logistics support vessel and mine-detection or clearance capabilities, although Seoul has stressed that no final deployment decision has been made.

The latest investigation mission to the UAE could provide South Korean officials with a clearer assessment of the security environment before any decision is taken.

The issue presents a delicate choice for President Lee.

Supporting a US-led effort could strengthen South Korea’s alliance with Washington at a time when relations have faced new strains. But a military role in the Iran conflict could expose Seoul to retaliation and complicate its relations with Tehran.