South Korea's defence ministry announced Tuesday that it has sent an investigation team to the United Arab Emirates to evaluate the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz (the narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil passes), where ongoing conflict has raised concerns about freedom of navigation. The team departed over the weekend and is expected to return within days, with findings to be reported to South Korea's National Security Council. The move comes amid sustained pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly urged Seoul to contribute militarily to efforts to secure the strait, though South Korean officials stressed the assessment was not made with a decision on troop deployment already in hand.