South Korea’s defense minister says the country can decide for itself whether to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz to protect its vessels. 

Speaking before the National Assembly's National Defense Committee on Monday, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said there has been no official demand from the U.S. to join it's initiative to patrol the vital Middle Eastern shipping lane.

Jeong, however, pointed out that many South Korean ships can be exposed to potential risks in the strait and that Seoul may start a “voluntary review” on the possibility of sending troops in that aspect. 

He said sending troops overseas for the sake of protecting South Korean nationals can be done without parliamentary approval, and that up to 320 military personnel can be deployed along with a destroyer, a helicopter and three speed boats. 

He explained that the military is also reviewing the possibility of dispatching a unit to the strait by extending the scope of operations carried out by the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit currently stationed near Somalia.