President Trump on Monday urged South Korea to join the Iran war after Seoul reported an explosion on a ship traveling in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed off amid the war with the U.S. and Israel.
Trump on Sunday said the U.S. would begin guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran warned would lead it to fire upon the vessels.
“Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!” Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social.
“We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left,” he added.
Seoul is still investigating the cause of an explosion on the Hyundai Merchant Marine ship traveling in the Strait of Hormuz. Its foreign ministry has not ruled out the possibility of an attack.
Although 24 crew members, including six Korean nationals were on board, no casualties occurred, according to Reuters.
“Our government will communicate closely with relevant countries regarding this matter and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of our vessels and crew members inside the Strait of Hormuz,” South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
A total of 26 ships from Seoul remain stuck due to the critical choke point closure. South Korea relies on 70 percent of crude oil and about 20 percent of liquefied gas imports from the Middle East.
Trump has previously slammed South Korea, Japan, Germany and other nations for not interceding to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is swiftly reopened.
Iran’s threats to shoot down unwanted vessels from traveling the strait and Trump’s naval blockade have limited commercial traffic, spiking energy costs and rattling the crude oil market.
