SEOUL, Sept 4 (Reuters) - South Korea is preparing to deploy military assets to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and aims to dispatch them before the end of the year, media reported late on Thursday, citing government and military sources. South Korea is therefore effectively balancing three competing interests : US alliance, energy security and avoiding direct involvement in the Iran conflict. Key points and original sources are listed below.

• SEOUL, Sept 4 (Reuters) - South Korea is preparing to deploy military assets to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and aims to dispatch them before the end of the year, media reported late on Thursday, citing government and military sources.S1

• South Korea is therefore effectively balancing three competing interests : US alliance, energy security and avoiding direct involvement in the Iran conflict.S2

• Several South Korean media outlets are reporting Seoul is preparing to deploy military assets to the Strait of Hormuz before the end of the year.S3

• South Korea is considering sending military assets to the Strait of Hormuz to support freedom of navigation, media reported Thursday, though Seoul denied it had decided on a deployment. Iran launched strikes on American military targets in the Gulf, in retalia...S4

• The Seoul government last month reportedly notified Washington that it was willing to send a naval ship and maritime patrol aircraft to support the U.S. war on IranS5

• Options under consideration include sending a maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support vessel or a mine detection and clearance unit, according to the reports.S6