박보람
| 2026-09-18 12:34:38
(ATTN: UPDATES with new info, photos in paras 3-5, 8-10)
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Friday highlighted the need for the country to protect its citizens and national interests in the Strait of Hormuz but said there will be no troop dispatch that might lead to the country's involvement in an overseas conflict.
"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," Lee said in a televised press conference.
"The principle of no engagement or involvement in war has been observed so far and will continue to be observed in the future," he asserted.
The president's remarks came as Seoul is deliberating making what it calls "contributions" to ensuring freedom of navigation along the key transit route in the face of mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
A South Korean on-site investigation team returned home last week from a mission to the United Arab Emirates to assess the overall Middle East safety situation, in an apparent sign of preparations for a possible military dispatch.
The president said it was also clear that the country needs to conduct "the minimum level of activities" to safeguard nationals or the transportation route for crude oil in the area, as other countries do.
South Korea's Cheonghae military unit has expanded the scope of its mission to carry out relevant activities in the area, but "it is true that we are reviewing and thinking about ways to strengthen (measures) on this," he said.
Asked about the possibility of resuming dialogue between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Trump, Lee said, "The possibility cannot be ruled out," adding he could not pin down how likely it was.
"It is clear that we should do our utmost to make the possibility come true," the president said, adding that the dialogue, if resumed, would serve as an important stepping stone for ensuring inter-Korean relations and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
"The resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue would be far easier than resuming inter-Korean dialogue and help resume dialogue between the two Koreas," he said.
On domestic issues, the president reaffirmed that he had no intention of seeking reelection through constitutional revision, also noting his reelection is impossible under the Constitution.
"I once again make it clear that I have no intention to seek reelection," he told a televised press conference.
His remarks follow repeated calls from the opposition bloc for the president to declare his intentions, accusing him of seeking reelection, despite a constitutional clause that stipulates any changes to the presidential system shall not apply to the president in office at the time of a revision.
Friday's event marked the seventh press conference by the president since he took office in June 2025 but was a rare one, given that most of his previous pressers were held on and around special occasions, such as the first year anniversary of his administration.
The event, announced three days earlier, comes after Lee saw his approval ratings decline to the lowest levels in the mid-30 percent range in recent weeks, especially among young voters.
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