President Lee Jae-myung will personally attend the "virtual summit on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz" led by the United Kingdom and France. At the meeting scheduled for the evening of the 17th (Korea time), Lee is expected to deliver a message on the situation in the Middle East and call for free passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior official at Cheong Wa Dae told reporters on the 16th, "A multilateral meeting jointly hosted by the leaders of the United Kingdom and France is scheduled, and President Lee is positively considering attending," adding, "Lee is likely to deliver a message encompassing the need for international solidarity for free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Korea's stance on the Middle East situation, and the energy supply chain, and we are preparing for that."
The official said, "Free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is in everyone's interest and is an important national interest for Korea as well, so we are continuing efforts to build solidarity with countries that share a similar position," adding, "On this issue, not only the United Kingdom and France but also several European countries and many Asian countries are working together."
However, among the roughly 70 to 80 countries invited to this meeting, the United States, a party to the war, will not participate. China's attendance, seen as having strong leverage in talks with Iran, is also reportedly uncertain. The official said, "This is not intended to exclude the United States; we continue to consult with the U.S. and are acting in coordination," adding, "The United Kingdom and France are communicating with the United States, and Korea is also maintaining communication and solidarity with the U.S."