Blue House: "No Decision Made on Troop Deployment to Strait of Hormuz... Considering with Caution"

On September 9, the Blue House stated regarding the issue of dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz, "The government’s position has not been finalized," and added, "There has been premature discussion as practical-level deliberations have leaked out."

Sukhong Sung, Chief of Public Relations and Communications at the Blue House, made these remarks on the YouTube channel "Maebul Show," saying, "The government has not yet made a final decision on this matter and is considering it with caution."

Sung Ki-hong, Chief of Public Relations and Communications, is giving a briefing on the appointment of the new Minister for Government Policy Coordination at the Blue House press conference room on the 10th. President Lee Jae-myung appointed Im Gi-geun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, as the Minister for Government Policy Coordination. July 10, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Chief Sung explained, "This is an extremely important matter, and ultimately, isn’t the president the final decision-maker? There are various opinions and stances, even within the National Security Council (NSC), and these will be unified into a single position."

Regarding the discussion about the Strait of Hormuz during the summit between President Jae-myung Lee and French President Emmanuel Macron the previous day, Chief Sung warned against over-interpretation, stating, "It should not be immediately equated with the idea of troop deployment." The two leaders announced their shared commitment to work together to maintain freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Chief Sung emphasized, "When war broke out in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz was blocked, didn’t oil prices soar and wasn’t there significant economic damage? Concerns that normalization of the Strait of Hormuz was necessary to protect the national interest have been ongoing since that time."

When asked whether the issue of investment in the United States is linked to the troop deployment, Chief Sung dismissed the idea, replying, "No." He explained, "The suggestion to discuss these matters together with various countries working to restore overall international order was also raised to the Korean government. Ultimately, what actions are taken will be determined at the discretion of the Korean government."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.