🇰🇷 | High tensions in South Korea as protests erupt against Iran war deployment plans.
South Korea is actively preparing to become the first country to join the US militarily in the Strait of Hormuz — and Seoul has seen daily protests ever since officials confirmed it.
Police tried to contain demonstrators as they took to the streets. With slogans such as "Everyone opposed to the Hormuz deployment, unite!" and "Refuse US military pressure!", activists are protesting near the US embassy in the capital.
The demonstrations are organised by Seoul Peace Solidarity and National People's Action, which have urged the government not to bow to US pressure or capitulate to Washington, and vowed to continue the mobilisations. Further protests are planned.
Washington has pressured Seoul for months to deploy forces to West Asia. It has never looked closer to reality.
Seoul has notified Washington it is willing to dispatch naval ships and maritime patrol aircraft, and local media report parliamentary approval is already being prepared.
It would be South Korea's first deployment at US request in 22 years.
The deployment still requires that approval to proceed, but officials confirmed preparations are already under way regardless.
While South Korea frames the package as "defensive," it would actively supply and enable US military operations against Iran, providing logistics, intelligence and direct cooperation with US forces.
South Korea imports essentially all of its crude oil, 70% of it from the Gulf, leaving it heavily dependent on traffic through the Strait.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei warned Seoul on Monday, in Korean, that any country operating in the Strait would be regarded as directly supporting the aggressor, and that a sovereign state must not yield to US pressure.
Just last month, Washington downgraded its most important annual drills with Seoul, saying South Korea had refused to back its war on Iran.
South Korea is arguably the most subordinated country in the world to the US military. Under OPCON, it is the only country on earth whose military would pass to American command in wartime.
It hosts one of the largest US contingents anywhere, and Washington is its most important diplomatic and military partner.
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