Tag: South Korea

These analysts make no sense when they claim that Korea could send ships to protect civilians vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz only if the safety of their Naval ships can be guaranteed. If there was no threat then there would be no need for a naval escort. A naval escort is needed precisely because there is a threat:

Under the current circumstances, a security analyst said, it is a good choice for Seoul to expand its participation in multinational coalitions, led by either the U.S. or the U.K. and France, but warned that it could “complicate the possible deployment of military assets when required.”

“We don’t have a clear picture of how the coalitions will develop, especially considering the unpredictable nature of Trump,” he said on condition of anonymity.

The analyst listed possible military operations, including protecting civilian vessels and conducting mine-clearing activities. “These activities should be carefully coordinated, considering the limited assets we can deploy, with guarantees on the safety of these assets as a prerequisite,” he said.

According to military and security sources, two feasible early-stage contribution options for the U.S.- and European-led coalitions may include sending liaison officers or personnel to multinational force headquarters to facilitate communication, or engaging in intelligence sharing.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

This phone call iwill accomplish nothing to reopen the Strait, but creates the appearance that the ROK government is “doing something” to reopen the Strait and lower gas prices:

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during their meeting on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 25, 2025, in this file photo provided by South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held phone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Saturday and called for the resumption of safe navigation of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said.

During the talks, Cho noted that South Korean and other international vessels remain anchored in the crucial waterway, stressing the need to ensure their safe resumption of navigation, according to the ministry.

He also expressed hope for the swift restoration of peace and stability, citing the broader impact of the conflict on global security and the economy, while Araghchi outlined Iran’s position on negotiations with the United States.

The call marked the third conversation between the two ministers since the conflict began in late February following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with the latest call made at the request of the Iranian side, the ministry added.

A total of 26 South Korean vessels, with more than 170 crew members on board, have been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the war.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This is a pretty cool training exercise, but you would think the Canadians would have been able to send more than just 44 Soldiers for this training:

Army troops of South Korea and Canada launched joint high-tech military drills in South Korea for the first time earlier this week, officials said Friday, as part of efforts to bolster bilateral military ties between the two nations.

The 11-day exercise, which runs through April 30, is under way at the Korea Combat Training Center (KCTC), a facility employing advanced technologies for realistic ground drills, in the mountainous county of Inje, some 125 kilometers northeast of Seoul, according to Army officials.

A group of 44 soldiers from the Canadian Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, an Army regiment that served in the 1950-53 Korean War, has been deployed to train alongside South Korean troops from the 7th Infantry Division.

The joint training comes as the Canadian troops visited South Korea to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a key battle that took place in the northern county of Gapyeong in April 1951 at the height of the three-year war.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but I also recommend reading my prior posting about Canadian troops that fought in the Battle of Kapyong:

If China is unhappy about this defense cooperation this should be a sign to India that the products they are receiving are high quality. The Chinese would not be complaining if South Korea was selling them junk equipment:

China would see India’s attempt to expand defense industry cooperation with South Korea in artillery and anti-aircraft guns as “inevitably sensitive” given Beijing’s border dispute with New Delhi in the Himalayas, according to analysts.

After meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as part of his three-day visit to India, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced that Seoul and Delhi had agreed to upgrade their economic cooperation, focusing on vital sectors such as shipbuilding, defense and artificial intelligence.

Lee said South Korea fully backed India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” or self-reliant India policy and hoped to “actively” support the production and operation of Indian defense equipment and discuss cooperation such as in technology development.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

This news shouldn’t be surprising considering President Lee’s track record of being welcoming to China:

Members of Congress blasted South Korean leadership over a “left-wing government closely aligned with China,” that they accused of “attacking” American companies and showing favoritism to Chinese-led businesses. 

In a letter led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., more than 50 members of the House of Representatives expressed their concern to Republic of Korea (ROK) Ambassador to the United States Kyung-wha Kang over what they deemed to be “discriminatory” business practices from the ROK.  

“Many American tech companies have faced a range of regulatory actions that seek to punish them while shielding Korean domestic competition,” the letter reads. “Recent research by think tank Competere shows such regulatory actions by the ROK government will cost $1 trillion in combined economic damage to the U.S. and Korean economies over the next 10 years, with the U.S. economy losing $525 billion and American households losing nearly $4,000 each.”

Fox News

You can read more at the link.

When it comes to the Taiwan issue China can be very petty here is another example of this:

China has put Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s planned visit to Korea on hold, raising concerns over recent changes to Korea’s electronic arrival card system, according to local media reports.

Reports said Seoul and Beijing had been coordinating Wang’s visit since earlier this year, but the Chinese side objected after Seoul removed the label “China (Taiwan)” from the departure and destination section of the electronic entry form last month.

The issue emerged after the Korean government announced on March 31 that it would eliminate the departure and destination selection field altogether from the electronic arrival card, following complaints from Taiwan over the wording.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

All I see is a lot of talk with no plan of action on what these countries plan to do to open the Strait of Hormuz other than wait for the U.S. to open it for them:

President Lee Jae Myung stressed the need for Korea and India to work together to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in an interview published Monday, also highlighting the need for joint efforts to stabilize global supply chains.

In a written interview with The Times of India, held before his summit talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he noted that the effective closure of the critical shipping route due to the prolonged conflict between the United States and Iran has been driving up global oil prices while also disrupting supply chains for key industrial materials.

“Both the Republic of Korea and India depend on the Middle East for a significant share of their energy supplies, including crude oil and natural gas. Accordingly, ensuring the security of critical maritime routes is essential to the safety of our peoples and the very survival of our nations,” Lee said, referring to Korea by its official name.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.