US President Donald Trump speaks about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Thursday in Washington. (AP-Yonhap)


US President Donald Trump on Thursday criticized South Korea as “not helpful” to Washington, citing US troops stationed “in harm’s way” near North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, as he 릴게임신천지 ramped up pressure on allies to take responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz.
At a White House Easter luncheon, Trump mentioned South Korea, Japan, China and European nations, calli 야마토릴게임 ng on them to take on a greater role in securing the Strait of Hormuz ? a vital global oil route disrupted by Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
He specifically singled out Seoul ? which has taken 바다이야기고래출현 a cautious stance towards Trump's appeal for naval assistance to secure the strait ? saying it was “not helpful” to Washington despite the presence of US troops stationed “in harm’s way” near North Ko 황금성게임랜드 rea’s nuclear arsenal.
"Let the European countries do it. Let South Korea, who was not helpful to us, by the way. ... You know, we only have 45,000 soldiers in harm's way over there, right n 황금성오락실 ext to a nuclear force. Let South Korea do it," he said. He was referring to the roughly 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea and the North’s nuclear capabilities.
Trump added that countries heavily dependent on the strait, including Japan and China, should also step up efforts to restore access to the waterway.
Trump’s remarks come as Washington has urged allies to send warships to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments. The strait has effectively been choked off by Iran’s missile and drone strikes following US-Israeli attacks on the country.
While Trump framed the issue as one for energy-importing countries to resolve, Seoul remains cautious, weighing the risks of direct military involvement against broader diplomatic and economic considerations.
South Korea has not committed to dispatching naval assets, saying it is carefully reviewing the situation amid concerns over potential escalation and the broader impact on its relations with Iran and other Middle Eastern partners. Officials have also maintained that no formal request was made by Washington, apparently adopting a deliberately ambiguous stance that avoids both outright rejection and clear commitment.
Observers warn that friction could emerge in areas viewed as key gains for Seoul, including nuclear-powered submarine development and bilateral nuclear cooperation, especially if follow-up consultations between the US and Korea are delayed.
Against this backdrop, experts say South Korea faces a complex balancing act between upholding international principles and managing immediate economic and security risks tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
Yu Ji-hoon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and former Navy commander, said Seoul should maintain its long-standing position supporting freedom of navigation and avoid recognizing any unilateral control over the waterway.
“From a principled standpoint, it is desirable to maintain a position that does not recognize unilateral control or the imposition of transit fees by Iran,” he said.
At the same time, he noted that if the US reduces its role, the burden on major energy-importing countries like South Korea could increase, with direct implications for energy security, inflation and industrial costs.
“The issue ultimately becomes a dual challenge of upholding principles while minimizing real-world damage,” Yu said.
He cautioned against bilateral negotiations with Iran over transit fees, warning that such talks could be interpreted as acknowledging Tehran’s authority over the strait.
Instead, Yu emphasized the need for a multilateral approach involving Europe, Japan and Gulf states to reinforce freedom of navigation, while maintaining practical-level communication with Iran to prevent unintended clashes.
“In the end, South Korea’s response should be structured around maintaining the principle of full access to the Strait of Hormuz, while pursuing layered responses in parallel,” he said, pointing to diplomatic coordination, maritime security cooperation, and economic measures such as tapping reserves and diversifying energy imports.
As tensions persist, Trump has signaled that the US may step back from direct involvement in securing the strait, even as he suggested the conflict with Iran could end within “two or three weeks.”
His comments have raised further uncertainty over how the burden of protecting one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints will be shared.