Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party said, "When it comes to deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz, diplomacy is about timing," adding, "Now is not the time to keep repeating reviews."
Rep. Yoon said in a Facebook post Wednesday that "the government dispatched a field survey team to the UAE to consider whether to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "A diplomatic choice made too late loses both its effectiveness and its value."
He said, "The Korea-US alliance has protected South Korea's freedom and prosperity together," noting, "During the Korean War, when South Korea was barely known to the world, more than 37,000 US troops lost their lives. An alliance is not a relationship in which we ask for help only when we are in difficulty."
He added, "Trust in an alliance grows stronger when we stand together and share the burden in the other side's time of need. South Korea is no longer a country that only receives help — it should share international responsibilities befitting its national power and demonstrate the value of the alliance through action."
Rep. Yoon said, "The Strait of Hormuz is directly linked to our national interests. About 70 percent of our crude oil imports pass through it, and our ships and crews, our energy transport routes and industrial costs are all at stake," stressing, "Protecting the safety of the Strait of Hormuz is both a contribution to the alliance and a way to safeguard South Korea's energy security and national interests."
He said, "We need to look at the Korea-US relationship in a bigger picture. Between Korea and the US right now, numerous critical issues have piled up, from trade and investment to advanced industries, nuclear power and security," explaining, "When we fulfill our responsibilities as an ally, we too can confidently ask for what we need, and the strategic value of the Korea-US alliance can grow even further."
However, Rep. Yoon said, "Of course, the method and scope of any troop deployment must be judged calmly. Our military should not be exposed to unnecessary combat risk. We should keep our distance from areas where fighting is taking place, and our mission should be clearly defined around defensive, noncombat activities such as maritime patrol, search and rescue, logistics support, mine countermeasures and ensuring the safety of our vessels," adding, "There must be no gap in our readiness on the Korean Peninsula."
He said, "Procedure also matters. The government must clearly set out the purpose and mission of the deployment, the operational zone and duration, troop size, limits on the use of force, and measures to protect service members along with conditions for withdrawal," adding, "If the deployment requires the Assembly's consent, it must follow the procedures set out in the Constitution. The Assembly, too, should swiftly discuss and decide once the government submits a responsible plan."
He added, "The Lee Jae Myung administration should stop wavering and make a decision that weighs both the value of the Korea-US alliance and South Korea's national interests together," stressing, "What is needed now is not another review, but a responsible choice."
bigroot@heraldcorp.com
