Rep. Lee Ki-heon of the Democratic Party of Korea held a one-person protest on Jan. 16 outside the U.S. Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, opposing U.S. President Donald Trump's request to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump posted on his social media on Jan. 14 (local time) that "countries affected by Iran's attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz should send warships to keep the strait open and safe," naming five nations including South Korea, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France.
"Deploying naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz risks dragging us into Middle East conflicts," Lee said during the protest. "In this complex political situation, the top priority must be protecting our citizens."
Lee criticized the request on his social media the same day, calling it "a demand that shows not even minimum courtesy to an ally."
"The moment we participate in military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, South Korea will become a direct target for Iran," he said. "This is an extremely dangerous move that abandons the safety of our companies, overseas Koreans, and consular facilities."
