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The Blue House

The Blue House announced on Jan. 9 that it had held a meeting of its National Security Council (NSC) standing committee that day to assess escalating military tension in the Middle East and its potential impact on the South Korean economy.

“The standing committee members assessed escalating military tension in the Middle East and the general international political situation. The committee reviewed the emergency response system for ensuring the security of South Korean nationals and companies in the Middle East and South Korean vessels operating there,” the Blue House said that afternoon. With Blue House National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong currently visiting the US, the meeting on Jan. 9 was presided over by Chief of Staff Noh Young-min.

The committee members received reports from First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Kim Yong-beom and Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Jeong Seung-il on the situation’s potential impact on the South Korean economy and trends in petroleum and gas supplies. In response, the members established plans to watch related market trends closely and take active response measures to minimize the negative effects.

The standing committee members also said that they had “examined plans for cooperating closely with the international community so that tensions in the Middle East quickly subside and the situation is stabilized.” In response to rising tensions with recent missile strikes by Iran, the Blue House has been leaning toward a more circumspect response to US demands for the deployment of South Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz.

“We had one meeting of the standing committee early in the week, but another one was held today because of the need to review matters including the general security of the economy and South Koreans abroad, including issues related to Iran,” explained Blue House Spokesperson Ko Min-jung.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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