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South Korea leader rejects sending troops to Iran
The gist
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung said Seoul will not send troops or military assets to the U.S.-led war against Iran.
The decision follows Trump's public pressure and leaves the U.S. alliance tested over Middle East burden-sharing.
How it unfolded
- Aug 17, 2026U.S. President Donald Trump criticized South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for allegedly refusing a U.S. request for South Korean troop support.
- Sep 7, 2026 -11, 2026JoongAng Ilbo asked all 17 members of the National Defense Committee to state their positions on potential South Korean troop deployment to aid U.S. efforts in Iran; only three PPP lawmakers supported deploying South Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
- Sep 10, 2026A survey published found that approximately 45 percent of South Koreans opposed deploying troops to Iran.