Lee Jae Myung rejects Trump's push to send South Korean troops to Iran
South Korea's president rules out any military deployment tied to the Iran war while offering a smaller role protecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Part of a larger narrative
US-Iran Military Escalation
- Trump abruptly leaves Camp David for White House amid Iran-Israel escalation fears
- Trump, Denmark and Greenland sign Arctic security deal, two new US bases planned
- Lee Jae Myung rejects Trump's push to send South Korean troops to Iranyou are here
- WaPo: Pentagon undercounted Iran war deaths; Hegseth calls report "a complete lie"
- Bessent warns all Iranian airlines will shut down globally by Sept. 23
What to know
- Lee Jae Myung explicitly ruled out any South Korean troop or military asset deployment tied to the US-Iran war, despite direct pressure from Trump.
- Seoul is instead considering a narrower role safeguarding commercial shipping and oil routes through the Strait of Hormuz, an idea that remains domestically unpopular.
- The dispute is intertwined with unresolved talks over South Korea's $350bn US investment pledge under its trade deal, with a parliamentary briefing postponed.
- Trump had already scaled back joint military drills with Seoul this summer amid frustration over the issue, raising alliance tensions.
Domestic backlash and conscription politics make any deployment untenable for Seoul.
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“In a country with heavily-enforced conscription, sending them to Iran would cause a mass mutiny.”
papibigdaddy · Reddit ↗
Trump is pressuring the wrong ally; Middle Eastern states with more at stake should carry the burden instead.
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“It's funny that Trump is asking Korea to send their troops when they've got allies in the Middle East who are a hell of a lot closer with a vested interest in the U.S. winning the war”
hEarrai-Stottle · Reddit ↗
South Korea's military would be better used countering North Korean troops in Ukraine than deploying to Iran.
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“If anything, SK should be sending troops to Ukraine to counter the NK troops there.”
Poop-from-my-butt · Reddit ↗
There is suspicion that outside actors are shaping US pressure on Seoul for their own ends.
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“Elon Musk, who maintains close ties with both Putin and Xi, must have been the one who pushed this idea on trump and Hegseth.”
charcoalist · Reddit ↗
“[It] is also clear that we must do the minimum as other countries do to protect our commercial shipping and crude shipments, and also the safety of our people.”
Lee Jae Myung, South Korean President · The Guardian ↗ · Sep 17
Lee Jae Myung President of South Korea
Donald Trump US President
Kim Jong-un North Korean leader
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments
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Seoul reaffirms investment pledges, offers Hormuz shipping help
A day after Lee's announcement, talks between the two allies' top diplomats produced South Korean affirmation of its US investment commitments and intent to assist with keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial traffic, short of military intervention.
“In a country with heavily-enforced conscription, sending them to Iran would cause a mass mutiny.”
— papibigdaddy, Reddit commenter · source -
1 outlet first by Japan Times, 5d ago · read ↗
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In a country with heavily-enforced conscription, sending them to Iran would cause a mass mutiny. A lot of countries with conscription will follow you to the ends of the earth to bring you back if you try to avoid it. This Taiwanese guy in my brother's frat received a letter that threatened extradition and jail time. I knew a Korean kid who slacked…
2 more of the top 3 · 10 posts in this stretch
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Seoul and Washington's top diplomats held talks in the U.S. capital Friday, a day after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ruled out sending troops to the Strait of Hormuz. https://www. japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/ 19/asia-pacific/politics/south-korea-us-top-diplomats-hormuz/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon # asiapacific # politics #…
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because tye US killed all the moderates in iran? gulf monarchies wanted the US to either deal with iran or leave it be not kick the hornet nest and let them deal with the aftermath
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News of Seoul's refusal spreads rapidly online
Social accounts and outlets amplified Lee's remarks worldwide, framing it as South Korea defying Trump's pressure campaign.
“JUST IN: 🇰🇷🇺🇸 South Korea says it will not send military to support US war in Iran despite President Trump's pressure.”
— @BRICSinfo -
JUST IN: 🇰🇷🇺🇸 South Korea says it will not send military to support US war in Iran despite President Trump's pressure.
2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
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“.. There will be no deployment of troops or dispatch of military assets to be involved in or intervene in this war,” Mr. Lee said in a news conference. @nytimes.com 🇰🇷
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🔴 BREAKING South Korea Rules Out Troop Deployment to Iran Conflict South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that while Seoul is willing to facilitate diplomatic talks between the United States and North Korea, it will not deploy military troops to support any US-led war against Iran. This... 📰 https://www. aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/18/s…
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Lee Jae Myung rules out sending troops or military assets to Iran
At a news conference, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul would not deploy any military forces in a way that could draw the country into the Iran war, while saying the government was reviewing a lesser role protecting navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
“There won't be deployment that would involve or enter war. I can tell you that very clearly.”
— Lee Jae Myung -
first by Channel News Asia, 5d ago · also Reuters, Al-Monitor, Dawn, UPI, NBC News
4 more headlines
- South Korea's Lee says will not deploy military to get involved in Middle East conflict Reuters · 5d ago
- South Korea rules out deployment of troops for military intervention in Iran Dawn · 5d ago
- South Korea’s Lee rules out military role in Middle East conflict UPI · 5d ago
- South Korean president rules out military involvement in Middle East conflict Reuters · 5d ago
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first by SCMP, 5d ago · also Reuters, Guardian, Joe.My.God.
2 more headlines
- South Korea will not send military to support US war on Iran, defying Trump pressure Reuters · 5d ago
- South Korea Rebuffs Trump, Won't Send Troops To Iran Joe.My.God. · 5d ago
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BREAKING South Korea will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war, President Lee Jae Myung said Friday, following reports that Seoul was weighing a possible deployment to the Strait of Hormuz
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background
Trump scales back joint drills after pressing Seoul on Iran — Trump criticized South Korea for what he called insufficient support for the Iran war and scaled back major joint military drills between the two countries' armed forces over the summer, unsettling the ally.
What people are saying 11 voices from 2 sites · best of 19 · verbatim
- Sep 20
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Again so did the rest of America by that statement lol grouping people together is a terrible argument or we are all just as culpable.
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65% of the military voted for Trump. The rest remain silent as they burn books and boot out those serving honorably.
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Im sure not everyone of them did so why group them all together? By that standard every america voted for him.
- Sep 19
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Elon Musk, who maintains close ties with both Putin and Xi, must have been the one who pushed this idea on trump and Hegseth.
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tRump pressure? What exactly would he do, tariff South Korea? US microchip's provider? South Korea will not send military to support US war on Iran, defying Trump pressure https://www. theguardian.com/world/2026/sep /18/south-korea-will-not-send-military-to-support-us-war-on-iran-defying-trump-pressure # johnmastodon
- Sep 18
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Remember the time when a whole bunch of S Koreans were rounded up by ICE when on business trip to the US auto plants? I’m sure that’s on their mind.
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If anything, SK should be sending troops to Ukraine to counter the NK troops there.
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Middle East: Morning update https://www. middleeasteye.net/live-blog/li ve-blog-update/morning-update-626
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It’s funny that Trump is asking Korea to send their troops when they’ve got allies in the Middle East who are a hell of a lot closer with a vested interest in the U.S. winning the war but I guess that’s what jumbo planes and first dibs on redeveloping Gaza gets you. Maybe Korea can send him a gold furnished Samsung so he moves onto the next ally.
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Trump must stop his insanity! https://www. theguardian.com/world/2026/sep /18/south-korea-will-not-send-military-to-support-us-war-on-iran-defying-trump-pressure?CMP=share_btn_url
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🟠 UPDATE South Korea Rules Out Troop Deployment to Iran Conflict President identified as Lee Jae Myung; explicitly states refusal to deploy military assets in any form to avoid entering war, resisting Donald Trump's pressure. 📰 https://www. theguardian.com/world/2026/sep…