South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has firmly ruled out deploying military forces to the Middle East with ensuring the country will not be drawn into the ongoing Iran war.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Lee Jae Myung stated that while Seoul will not engage in combat and the government is considering expanding its naval presence in the Strait of Hormuz. The move aims strictly to protect South Korean citizens and commercial shipping routes.
This stance comes despite pressure from US President Donald Trump has urged Seoul to play a more active military role and recently scaled back joint military drills due to what he termed "insufficient support" from South Korea.
Addressing bilateral trade the South Korean President noted that South Korea and the US are nearing a final agreement regarding Seoul's commitment to invest $350 billion in US manufacturing in exchange for lowered tariffs. He acknowledged some lingering concerns over the package's commercial viability but expressed optimism about a resolution.
On regional security President shared hopes for a potential summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months also adding that Seoul is actively coordinating to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
Domestically, South Korean President Lee dismissed speculation that his Democratic Party might amend the Constitution to allow him to seek reelection. Reaffirming that the presidency is restricted to a single five-year term also he confirmed he will step down in 2030.
Additionally the Korean President announced plans to push forward with decentralization efforts with designating Seoul as the nation's economic hub and Sejong located 120 kilometers south and already home to many government agencies as the official political capital.
