South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ruled out sending troops to the Strait of Hormuz to join the US war against Iran, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, as Lee fights to reverse hemorrhaging public support and get his policy agenda back on track.
Lee has seen his approval ratings plunge in the past two months, hitting a fresh record low of 37 percent in a poll released yesterday — down from a high of 67 percent earlier this year. He faces strong domestic opposition to sending troops to the Middle East.
“There will be no involvement or intervention in the war,” Lee said during a snap news conference aimed at shoring up public support. “We will not deploy troops or military assets for that purpose. We have adhered to that principle so far, and that principle will remain unchanged.”
Photo: Bloomberg
The remarks were Seoul’s clearest message yet on deploying troops or military assets to the Middle East after Trump ramped up pressure on the US ally over its lack of support for the war with Iran.
South Korea is reviewing ways to help ensure safe passage through the strait by expanding the operations of its naval unit already deployed near the area, Lee said.
While the comments might please Lee’s base domestically, they might further fuel tension with key security partner Washington, Zeitgeist Institute director Eom Kyeong-young said.
“Just imagine how the US would feel hearing that,” Eom said, adding that more diplomatic language could have been helpful.
“He seemed to make those remarks with his core supporters in mind, but they looked problematic coming from a president,” Eom added.
At home, many South Koreans have soured on Lee over the economy. Even as the global artificial intelligence build-out reaps record profits for chip giants SK Hynix Inc and Samsung Electronics Co, voters are seeing little impact on their lives, with surveys highlighting growing discontent on issues such as Seoul’s high property prices.
Lee apologized “to the people who continue to struggle through their daily lives in difficult circumstances.”
He said he was “taken aback by what seemed to be a sudden wave of disappointment and concern from the public,” but added that “the people are always right.”
Lee ordered a sweeping reshuffle of his cabinet weeks ago, changing out his finance, defense and justice ministers among others, with his top policy adviser Kim Yong-beom stepping down.
The reset and shift in messaging have failed to boost Lee’s approval ratings.
“This is a crisis of trust. Voters are at a point where they don’t believe what he says, no matter what he says,” Eom said.
Lee has also been struggling to balance Seoul’s all-important relationship with security ally Washington, which stations about 28,500 soldiers in the South in part to help protect it from the nuclear-armed North.
Trump canceled long-planned joint military drills with Seoul last month, citing his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Seoul’s purported refusal to help with Iran.
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