Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea, announced at a press conference that the country will not send any military forces to the Middle East to avoid getting drawn into conflicts. He also stated that Seoul is examining its role in ensuring navigation in this area.
South Korea's Naval Presence
Due to security threats, South Korea has a naval presence off the coast of Somalia as part of its anti-piracy mission. The country has resisted requests from Donald Trump, the President of the United States, to take a more active military role in supporting Washington in the Iran war. Lee emphasized, "No military forces will be sent to enter into war. This is very clear."
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Reviewing Cooperation with the United States
The President of South Korea added, "It is clear that we must take at least similar actions to other countries to protect commercial transport and the safety of our people." The South Korean government is considering the possibility of sending forces to the Strait of Hormuz, although this idea is not very popular domestically.
Lee also commented on the progress in the agreement with the United States regarding Seoul's investment commitments under the trade agreement with Washington, stating that concerns about the commercial viability of the package have been the main obstacle. He explained that some items are not acceptable to Seoul, but both sides are getting closer to an agreement.
Last year, South Korea committed to invest $350 billion in the U.S. industry, in exchange for the United States to reduce tariffs on Korean imports to 15 percent. This week, Seoul postponed its parliamentary meeting on investment plans, and it is now expected that this meeting will take place next week.
Lee also referred to the possibility of a meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, in the coming months, stating that several factors need to align for this to happen. He added, "But what is clear is that President Trump wants to talk, and so do I, and we continue to coordinate to make dialogue between the North and the United States possible."
Lee's approval rating has significantly declined in recent months, and he stated that he will continue his commitment to improving the lives of South Koreans, and his presidency will continue until 2030 under the constitution.
Questions have been raised about Lee and his Democratic Party's efforts, which holds a parliamentary majority, to amend the constitution to allow for a second presidential term. He emphasized at the press conference, "Let me make this clear. I have no intention of seeking a consecutive term."
Currently, the presidency is limited to a single five-year term under the constitution, and the current president is specifically exempt from any amendments that would affect the presidential term.
Lee also announced that he is seeking measures to reduce the concentration of the current capital, Seoul, by designating Seoul as the economic capital and Sejong as the political capital. Many government agencies are located in Sejong, which is situated in central South Korea and about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Seoul.
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