SEOUL, Sept 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - South Korea said Friday it was weighing "contributions" to US security efforts in the Strait of Hormuz provided its own military readiness was not compromised, but noted no decision had been made.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured ally South Korea to provide help for the war in the Middle East, saying Seoul rejected his request for assistance securing the Strait of Hormuz. "Contributions to the Strait of Hormuz could be managed within limits that do not compromise military readiness," a South Korean presidential official told reporters.

"The references made during today's briefing regarding military contributions-such as combat participation, non-combat roles, and search operations-were merely general descriptions of various options. Please be advised that nothing has been decided yet concerning actual contributions," the president's office said in a separate statement.

The comments came a day after local broadcaster JTBC reported that South Korea's government was "leaning toward" dispatching troops to help in Hormuz and reviewing details ahead of seeking parliamentary approval. Trump has struggled to get help from allies in the war that the United States and Israel launched on Iran six months ago.

The fighting has hit an impasse as Iran maintains a stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz and Washington presses its counter-blockade of Iranian ports.