On the second day of government questioning on September 10, the ruling Democratic Party emphasized that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran in the Hormuz Strait is a "war without justification." However, they avoided direct comments on the government's consideration of deploying South Korean troops to the region. The People Power Party pointed out that "the recovery of wartime operational control should not be the goal."
During the government questioning session focused on foreign affairs, security, and unification, the Democratic Party refrained from making direct statements regarding the potential deployment to the Hormuz Strait, likely to avoid putting pressure on the Lee Jae-myung administration's decision. Some lawmakers indirectly conveyed negative sentiments, considering public opinion within the ruling coalition.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byeong-joo requested an official stance from Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on the deployment issue, stating, "If troops are deployed, the safety of soldiers and oil tankers cannot be guaranteed. It is a war without justification." He had previously described the U.S.-Iran conflict as a "war without a just cause," asserting that South Korea should not comply with unilateral demands from the U.S. In response, Prime Minister Han stated, "The government is examining the situation from various angles. No specific plans have been decided, and multiple scenarios are under review."
Other Democratic lawmakers continued to question the government's cautious stance on the Hormuz deployment. Lawmaker Lee Gwang-jae asked Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo about the differences between the 2003 Iraq deployment and a potential deployment to the Hormuz Strait, urging for close cooperation between South Korea and Japan to address the ongoing energy crisis.
This cautious approach contrasts with earlier expressions of concern from Democratic lawmakers, who publicly stated that the justification for deployment is weaker than that for the Iraq War (Song Young-gil) and expressed worries that even a non-combat deployment would be viewed as participation by the Iranian government (Lee Gi-heon). The government's review of the deployment is being conducted at a practical level, prompting ruling party members to approach the issue carefully.
In contrast, the People Power Party urged the government to clarify its position on the Hormuz deployment. Lawmaker Yoo Yong-won asked Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee whether non-combat explosive ordnance disposal forces are being deployed and emphasized that any deployment must go through a clear parliamentary approval process.
Vice Minister Lee reiterated that "no decision has been made regarding deployment" and explained that they are in the stage of comprehensively reviewing national safety and economic interests. He added that the deployment issue will be addressed with public consensus and that legal procedures and parliamentary approval are essential. He also noted that they are not considering U.S. demands for deployment before the November midterm elections.
The issue of recovering wartime operational control, as promised by the Lee Jae-myung administration, was also discussed. Lawmaker Kim Byeong-joo suggested that operational control should be restored as soon as possible. Vice Minister Lee expressed full agreement, stating, "South Korea is the only country in the world that does not have wartime operational control," and promised to pursue the recovery of operational control as planned.
Conversely, People Power Party lawmaker Kang Seon-young publicly opposed the recovery of wartime operational control, arguing that the identity of the entity exercising operational control is not the main issue. She stated, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance and self-defense are interconnected. The transition of operational control should not become the goal itself." Regarding self-defense, Prime Minister Han emphasized the importance of being able to make decisions about the future independently, stating that the process of recovering operational control must be accompanied by the strengthening of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
During the government questioning session focused on foreign affairs, security, and unification, the Democratic Party refrained from making direct statements regarding the potential deployment to the Hormuz Strait, likely to avoid putting pressure on the Lee Jae-myung administration's decision. Some lawmakers indirectly conveyed negative sentiments, considering public opinion within the ruling coalition.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byeong-joo requested an official stance from Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on the deployment issue, stating, "If troops are deployed, the safety of soldiers and oil tankers cannot be guaranteed. It is a war without justification." He had previously described the U.S.-Iran conflict as a "war without a just cause," asserting that South Korea should not comply with unilateral demands from the U.S. In response, Prime Minister Han stated, "The government is examining the situation from various angles. No specific plans have been decided, and multiple scenarios are under review."
Other Democratic lawmakers continued to question the government's cautious stance on the Hormuz deployment. Lawmaker Lee Gwang-jae asked Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo about the differences between the 2003 Iraq deployment and a potential deployment to the Hormuz Strait, urging for close cooperation between South Korea and Japan to address the ongoing energy crisis.
This cautious approach contrasts with earlier expressions of concern from Democratic lawmakers, who publicly stated that the justification for deployment is weaker than that for the Iraq War (Song Young-gil) and expressed worries that even a non-combat deployment would be viewed as participation by the Iranian government (Lee Gi-heon). The government's review of the deployment is being conducted at a practical level, prompting ruling party members to approach the issue carefully.
In contrast, the People Power Party urged the government to clarify its position on the Hormuz deployment. Lawmaker Yoo Yong-won asked Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee whether non-combat explosive ordnance disposal forces are being deployed and emphasized that any deployment must go through a clear parliamentary approval process.
Vice Minister Lee reiterated that "no decision has been made regarding deployment" and explained that they are in the stage of comprehensively reviewing national safety and economic interests. He added that the deployment issue will be addressed with public consensus and that legal procedures and parliamentary approval are essential. He also noted that they are not considering U.S. demands for deployment before the November midterm elections.
The issue of recovering wartime operational control, as promised by the Lee Jae-myung administration, was also discussed. Lawmaker Kim Byeong-joo suggested that operational control should be restored as soon as possible. Vice Minister Lee expressed full agreement, stating, "South Korea is the only country in the world that does not have wartime operational control," and promised to pursue the recovery of operational control as planned.
Conversely, People Power Party lawmaker Kang Seon-young publicly opposed the recovery of wartime operational control, arguing that the identity of the entity exercising operational control is not the main issue. She stated, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance and self-defense are interconnected. The transition of operational control should not become the goal itself." Regarding self-defense, Prime Minister Han emphasized the importance of being able to make decisions about the future independently, stating that the process of recovering operational control must be accompanied by the strengthening of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.