South Korea Rules Out Sending Combat Troops to Strait of Hormuz
President Lee Jae-myung says Seoul will not be drawn into overseas conflict, but must carry out minimum activities to protect citizens and crude oil routesSEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has announced that Seoul will not deploy combat troops to the Strait of Hormuz, saying his country will not send forces that could draw it…
President Lee Jae-myung says Seoul will not be drawn into overseas conflict, but must carry out minimum activities to protect citizens and crude oil routes
SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has announced that Seoul will not deploy combat troops to the Strait of Hormuz, saying his country will not send forces that could draw it into a conflict abroad.
Lee added, however, that South Korea must carry out a minimum level of activities to protect its citizens and the routes through which crude oil passes through the vital waterway. He indicated that Seoul is reviewing additional measures to strengthen its protective activities. South Korea’s Cheonghae military unit has already expanded the scope of its duties in the region.
According to The Chosun Daily, Lee stressed that there would be no combat deployment and reiterated that South Korea would maintain its principle of neutrality.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical energy corridor for South Korea. The conflict with Iran and the growing activity of Yemen’s Houthi group have raised concerns over shipping and crude oil supplies. Lee said that in the early phase of the conflict, when vessels were avoiding dangerous waters, South Korea had difficulty securing crude oil.
