(LEAD) Nat'l security adviser reassures S. Koreans amid Middle East tension

▲ National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (R) speaks with a presidential official during President Lee Jae Myung's meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul in this Feb. 5, 2026, file photo. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) security adviser-Middle East

(LEAD) Nat'l security adviser reassures S. Koreans amid Middle East tension

(ATTN: ADDS more comments, details in last 6 paras)

By Kim Eun-jung

SINGAPORE, March 2 (Yonhap) -- National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Monday the government is maintaining an emergency response system during President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Singapore to prepare for potential contingencies in the Middle East following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Wi reiterated Lee's social media message posted after he arrived in Singapore on Sunday for a two-nation, four-day trip that will also take him to the Philippines, urging the public not to worry excessively.

"The government is prepared in all areas, including the real economy, finance and national security, and Cheong Wa Dae is also maintaining the emergency response system," Wi told reporters in Singapore. "I am constantly monitoring the situation and reporting to the president."

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over the second meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers to assess the latest situation in the Middle East and its impact on the Korean financial market and oil prices, and to check the safety of Korean nationals and troops in the region.

The latest developments in the Middle East were also discussed during Lee's summit talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong earlier Monday.

"The two leaders held candid dialogue on what roles they can play as responsible middle-power nations and how to cooperate and constructively contribute to global peace and stability," he said.

Lee and Wong assessed the impact of the Middle East situation on global security and energy supplies and shared the view that the region should promptly regain stability, while underscoring the importance of cooperation between the two nations, Wi added.

A senior presidential official said it is premature to predict the Iran crisis' impact on South Korea's economy and security, while noting the government is closely monitoring oil prices and the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz, a major logistics hub.

When asked whether U.S. Forces Korea assets were mobilized to support the U.S. strike on Iran, the official said Seoul and Washington "always consult on the operation of U.S. Forces Korea," without elaborating.

"South Korea and the U.S. are closely coordinating to ensure the combined defense posture is not undermined," the official said.

Regarding the Iran crisis' security implications for the Korean Peninsula, the official said Seoul will closely monitor North Korea's response and consider how to utilize upcoming major diplomatic events.

Lee has called for North Korea to return to the negotiating table with the United States in his speech marking the March 1 Independence Movement, but the North remains unresponsive to his latest overture.

Pyongyang has dismissed dialogue with Seoul but appeared to leave the door open for talks with Washington at a key party congress last month, where it unveiled the country's five-year plan and goals for major sectors.

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