SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday sought to clear up two sources of uncertainty and debate, articulating a clear “no” to South Korean combat involvement in the Gulf conflict and to any intention of seeking a second presidency.
“There will clearly be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in a war,” Lee told a live press conference at the Cheong Wa Dae. “There is no change in that principle.”
Lee, however, left room for Seoul to expand non-combat maritime-security operations, saying South Korea must carry out a minimum level of activity needed to protect its commercial vessels, crude-oil routes and citizens.
The government is considering strengthening the role of the Cheonghae Unit, which has operated in waters off the Middle East since 2009, he said.
An assessment team recently visited the United Arab Emirates to examine security and logistical conditions as Seoul weighs its response to calls for a greater contribution to maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz.
Lee was equally categorical on a domestic controversy over constitutional revision and the possibility of extending his presidency.
“I have absolutely no intention of seeking reelection,” he said.
Lee said any constitutional amendment allowing a president to serve two four-year terms could not apply to him and rejected suggestions that his support for constitutional revision was intended to extend his time in office. South Korea's current Constitution limits presidents to a single five-year term.
The president said constitutional revision was nevertheless necessary to reflect changes since the current charter was adopted in 1987, citing stronger basic rights, greater decentralization and a possible four-year renewable presidency. He said the details should be decided through bipartisan debate in the National Assembly and public consensus.
Lee also acknowledged that negotiations with Washington over South Korea's planned $350 billion investment in the United States remain unresolved despite a series of visits by senior Korean officials.
“I was told that we were almost at an agreement, but when I looked at the details, there were parts that were difficult for me to agree to, so we are discussing them again,” Lee said.
The investment package forms part of a bilateral trade agreement under which Washington capped tariffs on South Korean imports at 15 percent. Seoul has sought to ensure investments meet a standard of “commercial rationality,” with outstanding issues including how profits, losses and investment returns would be handled.
Asked about U.S. pressure for more semiconductor production on American soil, Lee noted that Samsung Electronics and SK hynix were already investing there and said additional expansion should reflect both corporate judgment and South Korea's broader industrial strategy.
On North Korea, Lee said another summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could not be ruled out and disclosed that Seoul was continuing behind-the-scenes coordination aimed at creating conditions for U.S.-North Korea dialogue.
Lee dismissed concerns that South Korea could be sidelined if Washington and Pyongyang resume direct talks, saying Seoul would still have a role in any broader process involving peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
The wide-ranging press conference came as Lee sought to reset his domestic agenda after a prolonged fall in public support.
A Gallup Korea survey released Friday put positive assessments of Lee's job performance at 37 percent, down one percentage point from the previous week and the lowest recorded by the pollster since his inauguration. Negative assessments rose five points to 56 percent. Real estate policy, personnel appointments and economic and livelihood issues were the most frequently cited reasons for negative evaluations.
The survey of 1,002 adults was conducted Sept. 15-17 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
Lee struck a more contrite tone than in many of his previous public appearances, acknowledging shortcomings in communication and saying he had failed to fully understand public frustration over some policies and appointments.
After reflecting on the decline in public support, Lee said his conclusion was that “the people are always right,” and attributed the setback to his own lack of attentiveness, consideration and communication.
He nevertheless made clear that the change in tone would not mean abandoning his core policy agenda.
Lee pledged to press ahead with prosecutorial and police reform, stabilize housing prices and put greater emphasis on improving household livelihoods. He also reiterated a decentralization drive under which Seoul would serve as the country's economic capital and Sejong as its administrative capital.
“I will communicate more, listen more and show greater respect,” Lee said in closing, while adding that he would not give up on the policy goals his administration had set out to pursue.
AJP Takeaways
- Lee ruled out any Hormuz deployment that could involve South Korea in war but left open an expanded maritime-security role.
- Seoul's $350 billion U.S. investment package remains under negotiation, with Lee saying some proposed terms are still difficult to accept.
- Lee backed efforts to revive Trump-Kim dialogue as he sought to reset his presidency amid a record-low 37 percent approval rating.
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