South Korea is preparing to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz as part of an international effort to safeguard the crucial waterway and maintain the flow of maritime traffic, according to reports from South Korean media.

The government is expected to present a motion to the National Assembly seeking parliamentary approval to deploy South Korean forces outside the country.

South Korean officials told JTBC News that they were “reviewing deployment plans” aimed at helping stabilize the Strait of Hormuz and safeguard South Korean commercial shipping. The government also indicated that it expects lawmakers to approve the motion without significant delay.

Even if the legislation advances quickly through parliament, the final vote is expected to coincide with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s anticipated trip to the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September 18-28, according to the Korean East Asia Daily (Dong-A Ilbo).

Despite preparations for a potential deployment, Seoul has yet to determine the precise scope of the mission, including which military assets would be sent and how many personnel would participate.

South Korea already maintains an anti-piracy naval presence in the Gulf of Aden, where its forces have operated since 2009 as part of efforts to counter threats from Somali pirates.

US President Donald Trump called on South Korea as early as March to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Before the strait was closed, South Korea sourced roughly 70% of its oil imports from the Middle East, underscoring the strategic importance of the waterway to the country’s energy security.

The potential deployment comes amid worsening relations between Israel and South Korea. Tensions increased after President Lee criticized the detention of activists from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, including prominent South Korean activist Kim Ah-hyun.

Relations also came under further strain in April, when Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly criticized President Lee after he shared a video that purported to depict Israeli troops torturing and killing a Palestinian child. Lee said the actions of the IDF were “no different from the Jewish massacre” carried out by the Nazis. His comments were made on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.