Editorial: When Korean lives are at stake, there is no such thing as too much caution over troop deployment

The presidential office has acknowledged that South Korea is considering sending military assets to the Strait of Hormuz. The disclosure has triggered a strong backlash at home and abroad, underscoring how dangerous the deployment question could become.

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As long as there is no major damage to our readiness for the Korean Peninsula, we may have room to act.

A senior presidential official said on Sept. 4 that South Korea could have room to act “as long as there is no major damage to our readiness for the Korean Peninsula.” The remark suggested that the government could send military assets to the strait. A senior Iranian official responded that if South Korea took action against Iran there, Tehran would regard it as Seoul’s direct military participation in an aggressive war against Iran.

Opposition has also emerged within the ruling camp. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Ki-heon said, “We cannot send our people and troops into a war with no end in sight.” Kim Jun-hyung, floor leader of the Basic Income Party, asked why South Korea should consider deploying troops to what he called “this illegal war of aggression.”

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If South Korea takes action against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, we will regard it as South Korea’s direct military participation in an aggressive war against Iran.

The government’s consideration of deployment comes amid mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly complained that South Korea declined to join U.S. efforts on Iran’s denuclearization. On Sept. 4, he also shared a column on social media arguing that South Korea should sell its Cheongung-II domestic air-defense missiles to Ukraine. The United States has already unilaterally reduced a joint exercise with South Korea, while security talks on uranium enrichment and nuclear-powered submarines have made no progress. Tariff threats also remain.

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We cannot send our people and troops into a war with no end in sight.

Those pressures may make it difficult for Seoul to dismiss the U.S. request outright. But a Hormuz deployment could rupture relations with Iran and put not only deployed troops but also South Korean nationals overseas at risk. The editorial warns that it could also conflict with South Korea’s constitutional rejection of aggressive war and produce the kind of deep national division seen during the Roh Moo-hyun government’s Iraq deployment. It calls on the government to keep seeking nonmilitary options, including humanitarian aid, and to persuade Washington.

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Why on earth should the Republic of Korea consider deploying troops to this illegal war of aggression?