President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that South Korea will not deploy troops or military assets to the Strait of Hormuz in a way that would involve the country in the war, while acknowledging that the government is considering ways to strengthen efforts to protect Korean vessels and citizens in the region.
“We will not deploy troops or military assets in a way that involves or intervenes in the war,” Lee said at a press conference at the Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. “We have adhered to that principle so far, and it will remain unchanged going forward.”
Lee said South Korea, like other countries, has a responsibility to take minimum necessary measures to protect its commercial vessels, oil shipping routes and the lives and safety of its citizens.
The Cheonghae Unit, South Korea’s naval anti-piracy unit, has already been deployed to the region to prepare for and respond to threats to shipping routes and the safety of Korean nationals, including piracy, and the government is considering ways to strengthen these efforts, he added.
On the possibility of seeking reelection, Lee said he had “absolutely no intention” of pursuing another term, reiterating his longstanding position on constitutional revision.
“It is constitutionally impossible for me to seek reelection through a constitutional amendment, and I have repeatedly made clear through various channels that I have never even considered seeking another term,” Lee said.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. — Ed.
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