In a parliamentary session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday, when asked whether the U.S. formally asked Seoul to deploy warships to the strategically important waterway, he declined to elaborate, ambiguously saying "It may or may not be considered a request."
Regarding the troop deployment, he said, "At this time, it is very difficult for me to answer."
Remaining cautious, Cho merely said that Seoul and Washington are "closely communicating through various channels" over the situation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which began with U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran late last month.
He added that the government is also closely monitoring relevant developments including remarks and social media posts by Trump.
The previous day, Cho spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone, with Rubio reportedly stressing that cooperation among countries is essential for keeping the strategically important waterway open and safe.
Cho said he was invited to attend the upcoming G7 foreign ministers' meeting scheduled to be held next week near Paris, adding that he is likely to meet with Rubio there.
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