South Korea's Lee vows troops will not join US-Iran war

Seoul will not dispatch troops to the Strait of Hormuz in a way that could involve the country in the United States-Iran war, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said on Sept 18.

"The principle of no engagement or involvement in war has been observed so far and will continue to be observed in the future," he said at a news conference in Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported.

However, Lee said South Korea still needs to conduct "the minimum level of activities" as other countries do to safeguard its nationals in the region and the crude oil transportation route.

The government is also reviewing ways to strengthen the role of its Cheonghae naval unit in the region, Lee said.

The South Korean navy's Cheonghae unit was first launched in 2009 for anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast. It expanded to the Strait of Hormuz in 2020 following the US killing of top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

The US has recently urged its allies, including South Korea, to make swift contributions to efforts related to the Strait of Hormuz.

Lee's remarks followed weeks of deliberation in Seoul over what the government calls "contributions" to ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, amid mounting pressure from Washington.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial energy route for South Korea, with about 70 percent of the country's crude oil imports passing through the waterway.

South Korea relies heavily on imported energy, making stability and freedom of navigation in the strait particularly important to its energy security.

Last week, a South Korean government inspection team returned from the United Arab Emirates after assessing the security situation near the Strait of Hormuz.

The mission fueled speculation over a possible troop deployment, while the issue has also prompted concern and opposition among some South Koreans.

Lee's news conference came as his approval rating fell to 33.8 percent, its lowest level since he took office, data from South Korean pollster Realmeter showed on Sept 14.

The figure was down 3.6 percentage points from the previous week, marking the ninth consecutive week of decline.

Realmeter said Lee's public approval rating appears to have fallen amid growing negative sentiment over major government issues, including the possible deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz.