Key facts
- Cheong Wa Dae clarified that President Lee Jae Myung's remarks ruling out war intervention were not a rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's request for cooperation in the Strait of Hormuz.
- A presidential official stated that Seoul is reviewing practical ways to contribute to regional security.
- The government will continue to examine concrete options under its principle of not intervening in a war or combat.
- The Cheonghae Unit is already deployed to the region to counter piracy and other threats.
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office, clarified on Saturday that President Lee Jae Myung's remarks ruling out troop dispatches that could involve the country in a war were not a refusal of U.S. President Donald Trump's request for Seoul to send forces to the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The clarification came after the New York Times reported that Lee's comments at a press conference on Friday amounted to a rejection of Trump's appeal for Seoul's military cooperation in the Middle East.
A presidential official told reporters on condition of anonymity that Lee did not turn down Trump's request for South Korea's cooperation on Middle East-related issues during the press conference. The official added that the government has been reviewing practical ways to contribute in close communication with the international community, including the United States, in order to protect its citizens and safeguard national interests.