On the 14th, President Lee Jae-myung, addressing the breakdown of the first cease-fire talks between the United States and Iran and the heightened likelihood of a "reverse blockade" of the Strait of Hormuz, said, "Even the parties to the war, based on the principle of protecting universal human rights and the lessons of history, I ask that you take courageous steps toward the peace that the world desperately longs for."
Recently, after sharing a video showing inhumane behavior by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lee engaged in a war of words on social media (SNS) not only with the opposition party but also with the Israeli government. At the public event that day, by mentioning "universal human rights," Lee appeared to send another message to Israel.
That morning at the Blue House, Lee presided over a Cabinet meeting combined with an emergency economic review meeting, urged the government to respond swiftly to the crisis, and then said this to the parties to the war, including the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Lee said, "We will continue cease-fire talks, but it is not easy to be optimistic about the heightened tensions between the two sides over the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "For the time being, we must assume as a given that difficulties in the global energy and raw materials supply chain and high oil prices will persist, and we must further solidify the current emergency response system."
He continued, "We must also step up efforts to improve the vulnerabilities in Korea's economic and industrial structure that were identified during this war," adding, "It would be good to push forward improvements to alternative supply chains, mid- to long-term industrial restructuring, and the realization of a de-plasticized economy as top-priority national core strategic projects."