SOUTH KOREA PERSPECTIVE

Seoul, May 18, 2026. Yonhap and the Korea Times covered the tense sequence of May 18 in real-time: Donald Trump announced on Truth Social the cancellation of a military strike on Iran — scheduled for the next day — at the express request of Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari leaders. The US president specified that he had instructed his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, General Daniel Caine, and the entire military to "not proceed with the planned attack," while urging them to "remain ready to launch a total and large-scale assault on Iran at any time," if an acceptable agreement is not reached.

This announcement comes as a fragile truce has held since mid-April, following a conflict launched by the US and Israel on February 28. Tehran submitted a revised 14-point proposal via Pakistani mediator, focused on negotiations and "mutual trust measures." But Trump responded firmly to the New York Post: "I am not open to any concessions at this time." The White House described the Iranian proposal as "insufficient" and not a "significant improvement," according to Axios sources.

From the Iranian side, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed that exchanges "continue via the Pakistani mediator." Tehran maintains its demands: release of frozen assets abroad, lifting of long-standing sanctions, and payment of war reparations, which Iran calls an "illegal and unfounded" conflict. Iran has also announced the creation of a new Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), claiming sovereign management of the Strait of Hormuz passage and demanding "complete coordination" for any transit.

It is precisely this last point that draws attention in Seoul. South Korea, whose economy heavily depends on oil imports transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, closely monitors any disruption to this maritime route. According to a secondary Yonhap thread, the South Korean Defense Minister indicated that Seoul "examines phased contributions" to the US initiative in the Strait — a cautious formulation reflecting the delicate balance Seoul seeks to maintain between its strategic alliance with Washington and regional economic interests.

Yonhap and Korea Times coverage adopts a factual and institutional angle, faithfully transcribing Trump's statements on Truth Social and Iranian positions, without marked editorial bias. The national news agency thus reflects the particular attention paid by South Korean diplomacy to any evolution that may affect the country's energy security.