President Lee: "No Troop Deployment to Intervene in War... Reviewing Measures to Strengthen Public Safety"

President Lee Jae-myung firmly ruled out the deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz to take part in hostilities, stating, "There will be no troop dispatch that engages or intervenes in war."

During a press conference held at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee stated, "We have adhered to the principle that there will be no deployment of military assets in such a form, and this principle will remain unchanged going forward."

At the same time, President Lee noted, "However, it is also clear that, just as other nations do, we must carry out minimal activities to protect our merchant vessels, crude oil transport routes, and the lives and safety of our citizens."

He added, "As you know, the Cheonghae Unit is already deployed, responding to threats to citizen safety such as piracy. It is true that we are reviewing and contemplating measures to somewhat strengthen this role."

However, he emphasized, "There appear to be concerns that this might be a deployment to participate in or support a war, or an attempt to send combat troops. Let me state once again: there will be no troop dispatch for war."

Regarding South Korean merchant ships entering the Red Sea, President Lee said, "Because our merchant vessels did not enter the Red Sea, there were considerable disruptions in the supply of crude oil during the early stages of the war." He added, "Abandoning crude oil transport over low-level risks would deliver too heavy a blow to our economy, so I instructed officials to review entering the Red Sea. This is something I will take responsibility for."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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