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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Rubio: No discussion of sending warships to Strait of Hormuz at US-South Korea-Japan meeting

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • US Senator Marco Rubio stated that discussions about deploying warships to the Strait of Hormuz were not on the agenda during a recent trilateral meeting with South Korea and Japan.
  • Rubio mentioned that while the US has previously discussed the issue with Asian allies, no direct request was made during this specific meeting, nor was any agreement reached.
  • He emphasized that the US can proceed with protecting shipping in the Strait independently but prefers allied participation, noting that some nations have shown interest in contributing, potentially in areas like mine clearance.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio clarified that discussions regarding the deployment of warships to the Strait of Hormuz were not a primary focus of the recent trilateral meeting with South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers. While the U.S. has engaged in past conversations with Asian allies about contributing naval assets to secure the vital waterway, Rubio stated that no direct request was made during the meeting in Manila, nor were any agreements reached on the matter.

Today we did not directly ask them.

— Marco RubioResponding to a question about whether the US requested naval contributions from South Korea or Japan during the trilateral meeting.

Rubio, who was attending the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, told reporters that the issue of naval contributions to the Strait of Hormuz was not a core agenda item for the trilateral discussion. "Today we did not directly ask them," he said, adding, "We have had those conversations with them in the past, and we have raised this issue with a number of countries."

We have had those conversations with them in the past, and we have raised this issue with a number of countries.

— Marco RubioIndicating that the topic of securing the Strait of Hormuz has been discussed with Asian allies previously.

The senator acknowledged that different countries have varying procedures for authorizing overseas military activities, ranging from legislative approval to executive decisions. He also noted that some nations can only participate within the framework of international organizations or multinational missions.

Today we did not reach any agreement on this issue, and frankly, it was not the core of the conversation.

— Marco RubioClarifying that the Strait of Hormuz issue was not a central part of the trilateral meeting's agenda or outcomes.

Despite the lack of a specific request at this meeting, Rubio stressed the importance of ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical for the energy supplies of many Asian nations. He suggested that several countries have expressed interest in participating in efforts to secure the strait, potentially through contributions beyond naval deployments, such as mine clearance operations. Rubio believes that some nations will eventually join the initiative, as ensuring the Strait's security directly benefits their economies.

Some countries require legislative approval, while others can make decisions independently through their executive branches.

— Marco RubioExplaining the different national processes for authorizing military deployments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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