Government reviews non-combat support approach for deployment to the Strait of Hormuz

The government is reviewing a indirect support approach that would not involve direct combat participation in connection with dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz. According to a government source on the 7th, as U.S. demands to deploy military assets continue, there is also a sense that it is difficult to completely rule out the possibility of troop deployment. This review is said to be similar to the method used in 2020, when the Cheonghae Unit expanded its operational area to the Strait of Hormuz and provided indirect support. However, unlike at that time, there is now a strong possibility that Iran could view even this kind of approach as a hostile act, and concerns have been raised that it could lead to threats against Korean assets or diplomatic and economic retaliation after the end of hostilities. Experts point out that in the current Middle East situation, the rationale for troop deployment is weak and the risks are greater. Suggestions have also been raised that the government needs to consider both international trends and domestic public opinion and seek a practical coordination plan with the United States.