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Blue House deliberates over response to Washington's naval beckoning

Published: 16 Mar. 2026, 18:19 Updated: 16 Mar. 2026, 19:04

Lee Kyu-youn, public communications secretary, speaks during a briefing at the Blue House in central Seoul on March 16. [NEWS1]

The Blue House is set to make “a careful decision after sufficient discussions with Washington” regarding reports that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked allies, including Korea, to send naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz.

“We intend to respond cautiously,” Lee Kyu-youn, public communications secretary, said during a briefing at the Blue House in central Seoul on Monday. He added that the two countries were “maintaining close contact.”

However, Lee declined to disclose the specific timing or channels of communication between the two sides, saying it was still under careful review and difficult to confirm details.

Regarding internal discussions at the Blue House, Lee said officials were looking into “the intention behind the reports coming out of the United States.” He added that the exact position of Washington needed to be conveyed to Seoul and that the government was currently verifying the facts.

On whether the government would draw up a supplementary budget to respond to the Middle East crisis, Lee said economic authorities were reviewing the matter.

“Our principle is clear. We will handle the matter swiftly,” Lee said. “The scale and timing will be decided by the relevant authorities.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]