▲ Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung attends a press conference at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, in this Jan. 22, 2026, file photo. (Yonhap)

Cheong Wa Dae-Trump speech

Cheong Wa Dae expresses hope of restoring peace in Middle East following Trump's war speech

SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae expressed hope Thursday for the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East, after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a pullback from involvement in the Strait of Hormuz.

The response came after Trump said the United States will hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday (local time), as the U.S.-Israeli war against Tehran has escalated into a wider regional conflict.

"We hope the situation in the Middle East will move toward the swift restoration of peace and stability," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. "With regard to the Middle East war, the government is closely monitoring the situation and developments in the countries concerned."

The government will work closely with the international community to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals and businesses in the region, maintain stability in energy supply chains, and restore free maritime shipping routes, she added.

In his speech, Trump also renewed his calls for countries that rely on the crucial Strait of Hormuz off Iran to "take the lead" and "take care of" the waterway, which has effectively been choked off by Iran's retaliatory strikes.

Earlier in the day, the national security office dismissed reports that the government is considering paying tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, calling the move "groundless and not under consideration."

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