Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Friday emphasized South Korea's commitment to safeguarding its citizens and national interests in the Strait of Hormuz while firmly ruling out any military involvement that could lead to an overseas conflict. During a televised press conference, Lee stated, "Let it be clear. There will be no dispatch of troops that will lead to involvement in a conflict. There will be no engagement or involvement in war."
According to Yonhap News Agency, a parliamentary confirmation hearing was held for a special inspector nominee tasked with probing corruption allegations linked to the president's family and senior aides. This hearing marked the first of its kind in 11 years, with Choi Kil-su, a former senior prosecutor, nominated by President Lee from candidates recommended by rival parties and the bar association.
In related developments, unexpected seismic activity has been detected around North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site. This activity, potentially triggered by North Korea's nuclear test in 2017, was revealed by a joint research team from South Korea's Pusan National University and China's Chengdu University of Technology, and published in the journal Science.
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel underscored the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance at a forum in Seoul. She described the alliance as the "linchpin" of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region, a relationship forged over 70 years ago during the Korean War.
In Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun engaged with U.S. lawmakers to discuss bilateral relations and regional security. Cho's discussions with Senator Bill Hagerty, Representative Jim Jordan, and Representative Gregory Meeks focused on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and global security.
Additionally, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has paid over 800 million won in court fees for his Supreme Court appeal in a property division case with his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong. Legal sources confirmed that the appeal was officially received after Chey paid the calculated fee of about 850 million won.