By EFE
Pete Hegseth He urged Seoul to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Washington in a conflict strategy, during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-serve, after the explosion on a ship from the Asian country in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The US hopes that South Korea – and all its partners and allies – stand shoulder to shoulder to this country in times of conflict,” Hegseth said after meeting with Ahn in Washington on Monday (Washington time), the Pentagon said in a statement.
Seoul, for its part, stated this Tuesday in a statement that both ministers “agreed to maintain close communication and promote cooperation in areas of interest mutual in matters of security.”
Hegseth’s comments come after US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have repeatedly questioned the lack of support from its allies in the war against Iran.
Furthermore, the meeting comes after the US stated that the May 4 explosion on a ship operated by the South Korean shipping company HMM inside the Strait of Hormuz was produced by an attack by Iran.
Although Tehran has denied its involvement, Seoul recently confirmed that it was a impact of two unidentified flying objectswarning that it will take action when those responsible are identified.
After the explosion on the ship, where all the crew members were unharmed, South Korea also said that it will review possible participation in the international coalition proposed by Washington to resume vessel transit through Hormuz.
Official statements published by the defense ministries of both countries highlighted that during the meeting, both ministers discussed the planned transfer of the wartime operational administration (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, and the South Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue. (KIDD) to be held Wednesday and Thursday in Washington.
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