A South Korean presidential official told Agence France-Presse on Sunday that Seoul is 'closely studying' the request made by US President Donald Trump and other countries to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the security of oil tankers in the Gulf. The official added to Agence France-Presse: 'We are closely following President Trump's statements on social media, and we will examine the matter in close consultation with the United States.' Emphasizing the importance of security of international sea lanes and freedom of navigation, the South Korean official stated that Seoul is 'studying and conducting thorough research on various measures... to ensure the security of energy routes.' US President Donald Trump wrote on Saturday on his Truth Social social network: 'We hope that China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries... will send ships to the region so that the Strait of Hormuz is no longer threatened by a beheaded country,' referring to Iran. Earlier this week, Trump had stated that the US Navy would begin escorting oil tankers through this strategic waterway 'very soon'.
