Korea-France Summit Discusses Hormuz Mission, No Deployment Decision

Cheong Wa Dae stated that the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron did not include specific discussions regarding the deployment of troops to the Hormuz Strait, but rather exchanged opinions at a fundamental level on how to contribute to the international community's multinational peace mission. A senior official from Cheong Wa Dae held a briefing at a press center in Paris on September 8 (local time) and responded to questions from reporters about the key outcomes of the Korea-France summit. During the briefing, questions focused on South Korea's potential participation in the multinational mission in the Hormuz Strait and the possibility of actual troop deployment. The senior official said, 'It would be premature to define today's discussion as 'deployment.' The exchange was at the level of opinions on how to contribute to and participate in the international solidarity proposed by France and the UK for the stability and safe passage of the Hormuz Strait.' Regarding reports about the Ministry of National Defense dispatching a local survey team and the National Security Council (NSC) holding working-level meetings, the official reiterated, 'These are part of the ongoing review process, and nothing has been decided regarding details or schedules.' In response to criticism that the prolonged discussions since the April summit were a strategy to maintain ambiguity, the official drew a line, saying, 'It was merely an exchange of opinions, and there has been no new progress.' Questions also arose about the possibility of backlash from Iran if South Korea participates militarily. The official acknowledged, 'Iranian officials asked about it during working-level talks after seeing South Korean media reports,' but added, 'We explained, as in the press briefing, that 'we are reviewing all options and nothing has been finalized,' and there was no meaningful response from Iran.' Regarding inquiries about whether the revised Military Secrets Protection Agreement and the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement signed during the summit were premeditated steps for military cooperation in the Hormuz Strait, the official stated, 'These were long-standing issues prepared over a long time and are not connected to the immediate Hormuz issue.' When asked about President Lee's reaction to President Macron's criticism of North Korea's support for Russia's invasion war, the official said, 'Since the two leaders had a private lunch, we have not yet grasped the details,' but added, 'We assume President Lee responded based on our basic stance toward North Korea-Russia military cooperation.' Regarding questions about whether delays in U.S. investments were being linked to the Hormuz issue to adjust the pace, the official denied any connection, stating, 'There is absolutely no discussion of slowing down or speeding up investments in relation to this matter.' Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac stated, 'Through this summit, the two leaders completed reciprocal state visits after five months and strengthened trust and solidarity between the leaders.' The official first explained that the revision of the Military Secrets Protection Agreement between the two countries 'has established an institutional foundation to refine the military and intelligence exchange system and deepen cooperation.' In the economic sector, he emphasized, 'We have deepened nuclear power cooperation. Although the two countries are in some competition regarding nuclear power plant exports, we share the consensus that there is great potential for cooperation and are pursuing complementary collaboration.' He added, 'Today, we agreed to launch a high-level dialogue on civilian nuclear power, which marks an important axis of cooperation.' The official also mentioned that the two leaders held in-depth discussions on international affairs, including the Middle East war. 'The two leaders exchanged opinions on international issues such as the Hormuz situation and the Ukraine war during their private lunch, broadening their consensus on major issues and solidifying strategic cooperation,' the official explained. The private lunch between President Lee and President Macron lasted about two hours, while the expanded summit, which included delegations, continued for one hour and six minutes.