Rep. Lee Ki-heon protests alone with a placard reading, "We oppose US President Donald Trump's request to deploy South Korean naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz," in front of the US Embassy to South Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Monday. (Courtesy of Lee's office)
Rep. Lee Ki-heon protests alone with a placard reading, "We oppose US President Donald Trump's request to deploy South Korean naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz," in front of the US Embassy to South Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Monday. (Courtesy of Lee's office)

Rep. Lee Ki-heon, lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, has launched a solo protest against the United States' request for South Korea to deploy naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz amid the deepening Middle East crisis.

Lee, a first-term liberal lawmaker, claimed Monday that deploying South Korea's armed forces upon the request of US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social "would run counter to the spirit of our Constitution," describing it as an unreasonable request that "disregards the fundamental courtesy expected between sovereign allies."

"We cannot, and will not, send our military and our citizens into another nation’s war," read Lee's statement in English alongside his one-person demonstration in front of the US Embassy to South Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

He added Seoul's decision to dispatch its naval forces would place Korean companies, overseas nationals and diplomatic missions "at grave risk."

"The moment we engage in military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, (South Korea) would inevitably become a direct target of Iranian retaliation."

Lee, a career politician, represents Goyang C constituency in northern Gyeonggi Province.


consnow@heraldcorp.com