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Lee calls for pre-emptive emergency response system as Iran war drags on

Published: 24 Mar. 2026, 11:33

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House in central Seoul on March 24. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called on the government to pre-emptively implement an emergency response system to cope with concerns about the supply of oil and gas, as the Iran war has dragged on and disruptions of global energy markets have continued.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Lee also asked for the swift passage of an extra budget to help small and medium-sized firms and vulnerable households hit by a surge in energy prices.

"Petrochemical products are used in everything from food delivery containers to medical equipment, making it difficult to predict when and where disruptions may occur," Lee said. "This poses a serious threat to people's livelihoods, and the government must proactively activate an emergency response system at the national level."

Lee urged ministries to conduct comprehensive reviews of items at risk of supply disruption, assess their potential impact, and identify alternative supply sources to draw up robust contingency plans and prevent a worst-case scenario.

Lee also called on oil refiners to recognize their responsibility as a key national industry, as rising fuel prices add to the public’s burden. He warned against profiteering, saying prosecutors have begun investigating allegations that refiners worked together to fix fuel prices.

“We will root out attempts to make money by taking advantage of the people’s suffering,” he said.

Addressing relevant authorities, Lee noted that a second notice on the maximum price of petroleum products was scheduled and that a price increase was unavoidable. He instructed officials to quickly come up with concrete steps to reduce the impact on people’s daily lives.

BY CHO MUN-GYU, YONHAP [[email protected]]