Rubio, South Korea Foreign Minister Cho agree Strait of Hormuz key to global economy, Seoul says
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun at the State Department in Washington, DC, on Feb 3.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on March 16 that cooperation among countries to secure safety in the Strait of Hormuz is more important than ever to stabilise the global economy and oil prices, Seoul said.
Mr Cho later declined to say whether Washington had asked South Korea to deploy a naval ship to the strait, despite intense questioning by Members of Parliament, some of whom suggested such a move could breach domestic laws.
“The question of how we’re going to respond to an ally’s demand is a very important one,” Mr Cho said. “As we make a decision, I assure you we will act according to the Constitution and the law,” he told a Parliament committee hearing.
US President Donald Trump has accused some Western allies of ingratitude after several countries rebuffed his demand to send warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The closure of the strait has spiked energy prices and sparked fears of inflation around the world.
South Korea has said it would carefully consider Mr Trump’s call for countries, which in Asia include South Korea, Japan and China, to deploy navy ships to the Middle East to form a coalition to ensure safe passage through the waterway.
South Korea already has some forces in the Middle East after deploying the Cheonghae unit in 2009 to escort its merchant vessels sailing near the Somali coast in anti-piracy operations and has since sent a rotation of destroyers with an attack helicopter and about 260 crew.
The Asian country is ranked among the world’s top naval powers, with a diverse fleet of more than 150 modern warships and submarines, largely deployed for regional deterrence and defence against North Korea.
Seoul says no deployment request
Asia’s fourth-largest economy relies almost totally on imports for its energy, buying about 70 per cent of its oil and 20 per cent of its LNG from the Middle East, according to Korea International Trade Association data.
South Korea’s Defence Ministry said on March 17 it had not received a request to deploy naval ships or troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
In his call with Mr Rubio, Mr Cho agreed on the importance of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz for the security and economies of South Korea and other countries, and he suggested the allies continue close consultations, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.
The vital waterway has been effectively closed to most of the world’s tanker traffic since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28 at the start of an intensive bombing campaign hitting targets across the country. REUTERS
