South Korea Rules Out Sending Troops to U.S.–Iran War

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced that his country will not send troops for any intervention in the United States’ war with Iran that could drag Seoul into the conflict, according to the state-run Korean news agency Yonhap.

Speaking at a press conference, Lee acknowledged that the government will take only minimal action to protect Korean merchant ships and oil shipping routes.

The statement comes amid public pressure and recent protests against a military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz: on September 9, activists marched toward the presidential Blue House, near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, opposing any potential South Korean military involvement.

South Korea is among the world’s largest oil importers, and securing energy shipping routes through the Persian Gulf is vital for the country’s economy — without a military presence in the conflict zone.

Source: Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/9/18/iran-war-live-trump-weighs-big-decision-on-iran-tanker-hit-in-hormuz