South Korea decides to send destroyer, soldiers to Strait of Hormuz

SANAA, Jan. 21 (YPA) – South Korean Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday it will send a naval destroyer and 300 soldiers to the Strait of Hormuz, after pressure exerted by the United States to take this step under the pretext of protecting the marine navigation in the strait.

French press agency quoted the ministry as saying in a statement that Seoul decided to “temporarily expand” the area of ​​its military force to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia to include the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which are linked by the Strait of Hormuz.

The ministry considered that its mission will not be part of the US naval force, although two liaison officers will be dispatched to the US headquarters, under the pretext of “sharing information.”

Despite the security alliance between Seoul and Washington, relations between them witnessed tension after the administration of President Donald Trump demanded South Korea to pay billions of dollars for the cost of the presence of 28,500 US soldiers stationed on its soil.