▲ President Lee Jae Myung (2nd from L) shakes hands with a Singaporean official upon his arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore on March 1, 2026. (Yonhap)

Lee-Middle East

Lee reassures S. Korea as he begins visit to Singapore amid rising Middle East tensions

By Kim Eun-jung

SINGAPORE, March 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday he had ordered the Cabinet and senior aides to establish an emergency response system to address any potential fallout from the escalating crisis in the Middle East, as he began his state visit to Singapore.

Lee posted the message on social media platform X shortly after arriving in Singapore for a three-day state visit, during which he is set to hold summit talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He will visit the Philippines next and return home Wednesday.

"I arrived in Singapore. Although the global situation is unstable, you do not need to worry at all," Lee wrote on X.

"The Cabinet, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, is thoroughly prepared across all sectors, including the economy, finance and national security," he added.

Lee said Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, and other senior aides are maintaining an emergency posture to prepare for every possible contingency, assuring the public to "enjoy their daily lives and focus on their livelihoods without worry."

Hours after Iran confirmed that its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed in attacks by the United States and Israel, Kim convened an emergency meeting of government officials to review the situation in the Middle East and discuss response measures.

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