Seoul, March 16 -- South Korea faces growing pressure to contribute naval forces to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump called on major oil-importing countries to help keep the vital energy corridor open, placing Seoul at the center of a widening geopolitical test.

The request comes at a sensitive moment for South Korea, whose economy remains heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude oil that passes through the strait, while its alliance with Washington is undergoing what both governments describe as a "modernization" phase that calls for greater security burden-sharing.

Regarding the matter, a South Korean presidential official said Sunday the government is closely monitoring Trump's remarks ...