South Korea Denies Rejecting Trump's Request for Troops in Hormuz

The Blue House clarified on September 19 that President Lee Jae-myung did not reject U.S. President Donald Trump's request for troop deployment in the Hormuz Strait.

In a media announcement, the Blue House addressed reports from foreign news outlets.

The New York Times reported that "the South Korean leader rejected President Trump, stating that he would not send troops to Iran." The article noted that President Lee expressed his stance against sending troops to Iran during a press conference the previous day, interpreting this as a rejection of Trump.

In response, the Blue House stated, "The government has been closely communicating with the international community, including the United States, to explore practical ways to contribute to the protection of our citizens and national interests." It emphasized that it will continue to review specific contribution plans under the principle of not engaging in war or combat.

During the press conference held at the Blue House guesthouse, President Lee reaffirmed the principle of non-involvement in war, stating, "There will be no troop deployment that involves or engages in war."

However, he added, "It is clear that we must undertake minimal activities to protect our own vessels and oil transport routes, as well as the safety of our citizens, similar to what other countries are doing."