South Korea rules out troops for Iran war, backs US-North Korea talks

South Korea has ruled out sending troops or military assets to the US-Israeli war on Iran, while President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul would continue efforts to encourage dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.

Lee made the comments on Friday as he addressed questions about South Korea’s position on the conflict and growing speculation over possible military involvement in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

“There will be no involvement or intervention in the war. We will not deploy troops or military assets in that manner,” Lee told reporters at the presidential Blue House.

The president stressed that Seoul had maintained a policy of non-involvement and non-intervention and would continue to follow that approach. He repeated that South Korea would not send forces in a way that could turn its involvement into military intervention.

However, Lee said Seoul would take limited steps to protect South Korean commercial interests, particularly merchant vessels and energy shipments.

South Korea had reportedly been considering whether it could contribute to protecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route that has become a major flashpoint during the conflict.

Lee said South Korea would conduct only the “minimum necessary activities” to safeguard its merchant ships and oil transportation routes.

The decision comes after US President Donald Trump criticised allied countries for providing limited assistance to Washington. In a recent interview, Trump specifically mentioned South Korea and said the country had declined an invitation to participate.

The United States maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of its security commitment to help defend the country against North Korea.

Seoul pushes for Trump-Kim dialogue

Alongside his comments on Iran, Lee said he believed Trump genuinely wanted to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump said last month that he hoped to meet Kim later this year and spoke of the importance of maintaining a relationship with the North Korean leader. He also claimed North Korea now possesses 57 nuclear weapons, while South Korean estimates put the figure at around 80 to 120.

Pyongyang has not given a clear response to Trump’s latest overtures.

Lee said it was “clear” that Trump wanted dialogue and urged the US president to pursue direct engagement with Kim. Seoul, he added, was continuing preliminary coordination efforts to help facilitate talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

Although Lee acknowledged that arranging a meeting remained difficult, he said the possibility was not impossible and that South Korea should make every effort to help create the conditions for dialogue.

The issue is particularly sensitive after South Korea and the United States held a shortened version of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises last month following Trump’s decision to scale back the drills.

The reduced exercises and renewed US outreach to Pyongyang have raised concerns in Seoul that South Korea could have less influence in any future nuclear negotiations.

Trade talks add another challenge

Lee also discussed South Korea’s economic relationship with Washington, saying negotiations over a previously agreed $350 billion US investment commitment remained complicated.

While the two countries are reportedly close to reaching agreement on specific terms, Lee said some conditions were difficult for Seoul to accept and discussions were continuing.

The president also rejected suggestions that he might seek to extend his constitutionally limited single term, amid debate over possible constitutional reform.