South Korea's Lee says army will not be deployed to get involved in Middle East conflict

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that he would not deploy any military assets to the Middle East that could potentially draw Seoul into conflict amid the war on Iran. "There will be no deployment of troops that involves or intervenes in a war," Lee said during a press conference. "We have upheld the principle that there will be no deployment of military assets in that form, and that principle will not change in the future." However, Lee indicated that the government is considering whether to expand its role safeguarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, as global energy supplies face severe disruption.