Cheong Wa Dae: "No Final Decision on Strait of Hormuz Deployment; Reports Are Getting Ahead of Themselves"

[Financial News] Senior Secretary for Public Affairs and Communications Sung Ki-hong of Cheong Wa Dae said on the 9th, regarding the United States' request for a deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, "The government has not yet made a final decision and is carefully considering the matter."
Sung made the remarks during an appearance on the YouTube channel Maebul Show, responding to the host's statement that "there have been reports that the United States requested a deployment to the Strait of Hormuz by November."
Regarding President Lee Jae Myung's summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris during his state visit to France, where the two leaders reached common ground on freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Sung drew a clear distinction, saying, "This statement should not be immediately equated with a troop deployment."
Earlier, after meeting with President Macron on the 8th local time, President Lee said at a joint press conference, "South Korea and France will continue close cooperation so that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and global supply-chain stability can be restored as soon as possible."
Sung also stressed, "With the government's final policy still undecided, discussions from various working-level groups have leaked out, causing the debate to unfold through reports that are getting too far ahead of the actual process."
Sung explained, "The president has final responsibility for decision-making, and everything will be discussed by the National Security Council (NSC). Various opinions from each level will be brought together and consolidated into a single position. However, fragmented discussions have leaked out before the matter reached the president."
Sung also emphasized that the issue of deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz is not linked to trade negotiations with the United States, saying, "The decision will be made based on the South Korean government's independent judgment."
When asked about claims that President Lee should personally state his position on seeking another term, Sung said, "The president will probably listen carefully to those opinions and make a judgment."

[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter