Trump’s Hormuz Warship Request Puts South Korea-US Alliance to the Test

President Lee Jae‑myung must balance the U.S. push—led by Trump—to deploy a warship into the Strait of Hormuz against Iran with South Korea’s desire to stay out of a protracted conflict, while Japan’s foreign minister Yoko Takaichi’s visit to Trump underscores regional unease over the escalating naval standoff.