Dagyum Kate Ji

Apparently, Korea Pro reported this story first… You should have marked it as an exclusive before someone else claimed it….

President Lee Jae Myung opened his first Cabinet meeting following the US midterm elections by stressing the need to ensure the implementation of bilateral agreements under the Joint Fact Sheet.

“We must pool our wisdom to firmly protect our national interests and our companies' investments, while ensuring that agreements reached by the two countries in the diplomatic and security fields are properly implemented,” Lee said Tuesday at Cheong Wa Dae.

Negotiations over nuclear cooperation (nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing) between Seoul and Washington have effectively stalled since the allies held their first round of talks in early June.

The Democratic takeover of both chambers of Congress has raised further concerns in Seoul about the prospects for those agreements, particularly given the party's traditional emphasis on nuclear nonproliferation.

koreaherald.com/article/109321…

@snydersas points out that the implications of the US midterm elections for South Korea extend well beyond the balance of power between Trump and Congress, with potential consequences for Korean investments in the US, energy projects, and the long-term implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet.

"Both sides should build mutual long-term political and economic commitments that can carry over to the next US administration."

keia.org/analysis/what-…

South Korea Expands Anti-Piracy Mission, Prepares for Possible Hormuz Mine Clearance

1/4 | Mission Expansion
South Korea plans to expand its Cheonghae naval mission from the Gulf of Aden to waters south of Oman, citing rising piracy and security gaps caused by conflicts in the Middle East.

Key changes:
• Operational area: ~600 → 1,200 miles
• Personnel: 320 → up to 395
• Additional assets: One P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team and unmanned mine-countermeasure systems
• Planned operating base: Djibouti (not yet finalized)

According to the Defense Ministry, piracy incidents have surged from 11 in 2025 to 36 so far in 2026, as multinational naval forces have shifted toward conflict zones around Hormuz and the Red Sea.

2/4 | Hormuz Connection
Seoul explicitly stated that the expansion is separate from Washington's broader request for allied contributions to stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz.

The ministry emphasized four principles:
• No involvement in the ongoing Iran war
• Protection of Korean nationals and commercial vessels
• Operations limited to waters south of Oman, excluding the Gulf of Oman and Hormuz
• Independent South Korean military command

However, officials acknowledged that the deployment also takes into account possible future mine-clearance operations in Hormuz.

The EOD team and unmanned systems will gain operational experience, adapt to local conditions and train alongside multinational forces.

Officials stressed that preparing for Hormuz is not the primary purpose of the current deployment.

South Korea has also dispatched a liaison officer to the British- and French-led maritime initiative.

3/4 | Conditions for Future Hormuz Mission
Any future operation in Hormuz would require a "permissive environment."

This could mean:
• An end to the U.S.–Iran war
• A US–Iran MOU enabling freedom-of-navigation operations
• A clear assessment that the area is safe for maritime operations

Officials also cited Iranian consent to mine clearance as a possible basis for participation.

4/4 | Separate Assembly Approval Required
Crucially, separate approvals from South Korea’s National Assembly would be required for the Cheonghae mission expansion and any future deployment to Hormuz.

The Cheonghae Unit's current mandate expires on December 31, 2026, and is renewed annually. Seoul is seeking National Assembly approval to extend it through December 31, 2027, while expanding its operational area and deploying additional assets.

Any future deployment of the EOD team or other forces to Hormuz would require a separate National Assembly authorization, beyond the Cheonghae mission extension.

South Korea is scrambling to contain an unprecedented major security breach after the personal information of President Lee Jae Myung, first lady Kim Hea Kyung and 166 others was exposed online for around five months.

Even more alarming: The leaked passenger list revealed the identities of presidential bodyguards tasked with protecting Lee at close range, information normally kept confidential for security reasons.

The file contained passport numbers, dates of birth and other sensitive details belonging to senior presidential aides, Cabinet ministers, medical personnel and journalists accompanying Lee overseas.

koreaherald.com/article/109241…