Trump once again criticizes South Korea: Completely useless, 45k U.S. troops stationed in Korea are in danger

Ask AI · Why did Trump single out South Korea in escorting through the Strait of Hormuz?

According to South Korean media reports such as the Korea JoongAng Daily and Yonhap News Agency, regarding the issue of the ally being unwilling to help “open” the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Trump once again “named and criticized” South Korea, even calling it “completely unhelpful.”

On April 1, local time, before delivering a nationwide televised speech on Iran, President Trump complained again at the White House’s annual Easter luncheon, saying that South Korea, Japan, and a number of European countries should do their part to ensure navigation safety through the Strait of Hormuz.

It is worth noting that Trump specifically singled out South Korea.

He said, “The problem is that even if there is only one terrorist in the (Strait of Hormuz), it can be labeled as ‘unsafe.’ So let those countries deal with it themselves. Let France do it. Let the European countries do it. They get a lot of their crude oil from there. By the way, let South Korea—where they are of no help to us—do it… You should know, we have 45,000 soldiers in South Korea who are in danger, right next to a nuclear power. Let South Korea do it.”

Trump also added, “Let Japan do it. Ninety percent of their oil comes from that strait. Let China do it. Let them all do it.”

South Korean media believe that the “nuclear power” Trump mentioned refers to North Korea’s nuclear-armed forces. In addition, South Korean media also rebutted that currently only about 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea.

Previously, Trump had repeatedly urged Japan, South Korea, and European countries such as France, Italy, Spain, and the UK to send troops to help escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to Trump’s “call,” South Korea said it was carefully assessing the situation because it was concerned about the escalation of potential conflict and its broader impact on South Korea’s relations with Iran and other Middle Eastern partners. The South Korean side also insisted that the U.S. had not made a “formal request.”

South Korean media analysis holds that the South Korean government is clearly taking a deliberately ambiguous stance—avoiding a complete refusal while also not making a clear commitment. But Trump is not satisfied with this attitude.

As military conflicts in the Middle East disrupt global energy markets, South Korea—which is highly dependent on imported energy—has fallen into crisis. A report released on March 26 by the Korea Institute of Energy Economics stated that nearly 94% of South Korea’s energy resources are imported from overseas, and about 70% of its crude oil is imported from the Middle East. The energy crisis is likely to push up inflation and household spending in South Korea, leading to a decline in this year’s economic growth rate, and also dealing a blow to supply chains.

Last month, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said that energy issues have thrown the world into chaos, and that the grim situation has made him “unable to sleep.” To cope with the crisis, Lee Jae-myung’s government submitted on March 31 a supplementary budget of 262 trillion won (about RMB 119 billion yuan), curbing energy costs by providing subsidies to households and businesses to ease pressure. It is expected that South Korea’s National Assembly will vote on the supplementary budget around April 10 local time.

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