The US-Iran war has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints. (EPA Images pic)SEOUL: South Korea's defence ministry said Thursday it would deploy maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team to waters near the Strait of Hormuz as part of a mission to help keep the waterway open.
The announcement comes as Seoul maintains it will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war, while seeking to protect commercial shipping and energy supplies through one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints.
The US-Iran war that began on Feb 28 has disrupted shipping through the Hormuz strait, a vital conduit for global energy supplies that normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil.
