SEOUL, March 16 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea’s Presidential Office said on Monday that US President Donald Trump’s request for South Korea to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz is an issue that requires sufficient deliberation between Seoul and Washington, noting that the government intends to handle it “very carefully”, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The presidential secretary for public affairs and communications, Lee Kyu-yeon, made the remarks after Trump urged South Korea and four other countries in a social media post to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s effective attempt to close the waterway.
“This is an issue that should be decided after sufficient discussions between South Korea and the US and with adequate time for deliberation, and I understand that the two sides remain in close communication,” Lee said, adopting a cautious stance on the issue.
“We intend to handle this issue very carefully,” he added.
Asked whether Washington had made a formal request, Lee said Cheong Wa Dae (Presidential Office) is trying to determine the “exact intention” behind Trump’s remarks and needs to confirm the US government’s official stance before making a decision.
On Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae said it would carefully weigh how to respond to Trump’s social media post, noting that the safety of international maritime routes and freedom of navigation are in the interest of all countries.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
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