Seoul: Cheong Wa Dae stated that President Lee Jae Myung's comments about avoiding troop deployments that could involve South Korea in a war do not constitute a rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's request for military support in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the presidential office made this clarification following a New York Times report suggesting that Lee's statements at a Friday press conference were a denial of Trump's appeal for South Korean military collaboration in the Middle East. A presidential official, speaking anonymously, emphasized that "Lee did not turn down Trump's request for South Korea's cooperation on Middle East-related issues during yesterday's press conference." The official further noted that the government is examining practical ways to contribute, maintaining close communication with the international community, including the United States, to protect citizens and safeguard national interests.
Seoul remains committed to exploring specific options while adhering to its principle of non-intervention in war or combat scenarios, the official added. During Friday's nationally televised press conference, Lee stated, "there will be no dispatch of troops that engages or intervenes in a war," but acknowledged that the Cheonghae Unit is already stationed in the region to combat piracy and other threats to Korean safety. Lee also mentioned that Seoul is considering ways to enhance this role.