South Korea's president rules out troop deployment to Middle East amid US pressure

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has stated that his country will not send troops or military assets to support the United States in its war on Iran, according to a report by NBC News cited by Mehr News. Speaking at a news conference, Lee said, "There won't be deployment that would involve or enter war. I can tell you that very clearly," and added, "We won't deploy military assets in any form to that end."

The president nevertheless noted that South Korea must take minimal steps similar to those of other countries to protect its commercial shipping, crude oil shipments and the safety of its citizens. South Korea has maintained a naval presence off the coast of Somalia as part of an anti-piracy mission, but has resisted calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to take a more active military role in the Iran conflict.

Trump has criticized Seoul for what he described as insufficient support for the war on Iran and scaled back major joint military drills between the two countries' armed forces this summer, a move that unsettled the U.S. ally. The tensions come amid broader questions about the alliance's scope and South Korea's military commitments abroad.

Asked about progress toward an agreement with the United States on Seoul's investment commitments under its trade deal with Washington, Lee said concern over the commercial viability of the package was the main sticking point. He did not elaborate further on the status of the negotiations.

According to Mehr News, which cited NBC News, the South Korean president's remarks underscore Seoul's effort to balance its security alliance with Washington against domestic concerns about being drawn into a wider Middle East conflict. The report added that South Korea continues to weigh its economic and security interests while resisting pressure to expand its military role beyond existing missions.