Seoul: South Korea is exploring various roles, including diplomatic, humanitarian, and military, to support international efforts aimed at securing navigation freedom in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior foreign ministry official stated. The initiative comes in the wake of President Lee Jae Myung's participation in a multilateral summit led by Britain and France, focusing on garnering support from nations not directly involved in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee committed to making "substantive contributions" to ensure navigation freedom in this critical waterway. He emphasized the necessity for collective international efforts to resolve the crisis promptly and to establish a stability mechanism in the Strait. The official clarified that "substantive contributions" encompass a range of options beyond military deployment, including diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, as well as potential information-sharing.

In a joint statement following the summit, Britain and France revealed that several countries had shown readiness to contribute militarily, logistically, or financially. Although South Korea has not yet indicated its commitment to such contributions, the government is preparing to formally announce its participation in the initiative soon, as noted by the official.

While detailed discussions regarding each nation's role have yet to occur, the official highlighted the importance of such gatherings in conveying a unified message to Iran about reopening the Strait of Hormuz for transit. Additionally, the official noted that discussions have not reached the point of considering further sanctions or other pressure measures against Iran, but affirmed that South Korea would align with the international community if such steps were deemed necessary.