Government Cautious After Sending Fact-Finding Team to UAE

[Anchor]

The Ministry of National Defense dispatched a fact-finding team to the Middle East over the weekend. The ministry drew a line against a broad interpretation, stating that the dispatch is not premised on troop deployment but merely intended to assess the local situation, and the government's stance on troop deployment appears more cautious than last week.

Reporter Choi Jae-yeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Over the weekend, a South Korean military fact-finding team was dispatched to the United Arab Emirates.

The purpose is to assess the local political situation and security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The local fact-finding team is reportedly expected to return home as early as this week.

The findings of the team are scheduled to be reported to the National Security Council (NSC).

However, the Ministry of National Defense drew a line, stating, "This investigation is not premised on an actual troop deployment," and adding, "Nothing has been decided regarding troop deployment."

The ministry also denied media reports claiming that the U.S. Trump administration requested the South Korean government to dispatch troops by November, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Sung Ki-hong, Senior Secretary to the President for Public Relations and Communication, also stated, "We are at the stage of carefully reviewing various plans from a working-level perspective, and we have not yet finalized a policy."

[Sung Ki-hong / Senior Secretary to the President for Public Relations and Communication (YouTube 'Choi Wook's Maebul Show') : Because this is a very important matter, isn't the President the ultimate person responsible for decision-making? Therefore, everything will be discussed in the NSC...]

Just last week, the government atmosphere was leaning toward concretely reviewing South Korean military troops or assets to send to the Strait of Hormuz, but a shift in the atmosphere regarding troop deployment has been detected entering this week.

A key government official conveyed the internal government atmosphere, saying, "It has completely shifted to cautious review," and adding, "Even after we sent a message that we are reviewing troop deployment, the U.S. has not stopped its pressure. If the U.S. acts like that, our response inevitably has to be complicated."

The fact that most countries that have been asked by U.S. President Trump to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz since early this year are still keeping their distance from participating in the U.S.-led military operation is also deepening the government's concerns.

The U.K. and France are keeping their distance from the U.S. military operation, pursuing only independent multinational defensive missions to protect commercial vessels and clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Japan also maintains a cautious stance on sending warships or troops.

(Video Editing: Jang Hyun-ki, Design: Park Tae-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.