Second Day of National Assembly Interpellation... Lee Administration's Diplomacy and Hormuz Troop Deployment Under Scrutiny

Kim Seokki of the Opposition: "The President Is the Biggest Diplomatic Risk"

The People Power Party criticized the foreign policy of the Lee Jaemyung administration during a government questioning session on foreign affairs, unification, and security at the National Assembly on the 10th.

Seokki Kim, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out issues regarding the Lee administration’s policies toward Japan, its response to the Taiwan Strait situation, and judicial risks during the plenary session at the National Assembly held that day.

Assemblyman Kim, addressing Prime Minister Han Seongsuk, stated, “In the past, then-Democratic Party leader Lee Jaemyung strongly condemned the Yoon Sukyeol administration’s diplomacy with Japan as pro-Japanese and humiliating diplomacy, but after becoming president, he has maintained the same approach as the Yoon administration. There has been no explanation for this complete reversal in stance.”

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Hyunwoo = Han Seongsuk, Prime Minister, is responding to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byungjoo during the 6th plenary session of the 439th regular meeting of the National Assembly on foreign affairs, unification, and security on the 10th. 2026.9.10 nowwego@yna.co.kr (End)

He went on to say, “President Lee Jaemyung is the greatest risk factor in our diplomacy.”

Regarding the release of contaminated water from Fukushima, Assemblyman Kim said, “During the Yoon Sukyeol administration, there were 12 releases of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant; since the Lee Jaemyung administration took office, there have been 11. Has there been any instance where these treated contaminated waters have caused health issues for the public? When he was in the opposition, President Lee traveled around the country calling it poison. These kinds of rumors and agitation by the Democratic Party damage Korea’s national standing and credibility in the international community.”

The recently resurfaced issue of troop deployment to the Hormuz Strait also came up. Gwangjae Lee, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, asked First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Park Yoonjoo, about how countries neighboring Hormuz and Japan are responding, and about the possibility of dispatching troops.

Vice Minister Park responded, “Japan and several countries in the international community are closely monitoring the situation in the Hormuz Strait. Since it is closely related to the shipping of energy supplies, we hope that order will be restored quickly, and we are reviewing what contributions we could make in this regard.”

When Assemblyman Lee remarked, “Close dialogue between South Korea and Japan appears necessary regarding joint energy procurement and stockpiling,” Vice Minister Park answered, “We are proceeding with cooperation concerning energy stockpiling and supply chains.”

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