Gwangju Peace Solidarity in South Korea: Statement on the Lee Jae-Myung Administration and the Iran War

On March 17, 2026, members of Gwangju Peace Solidarity in South Korea held a press conference at the 5·18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju, at the center of the resistance to military rule in 1980. They issued a formal statement urging the South Korean government to reject U.S. President Trump's request for troop deployment. [Note: As an honorary citizen of Gwangju, I heartily endorse this statement].

As the war with Iran drags on, the United States is in a difficult position where an overwhelming victory is unlikely, yet they cannot end the conflict as they please. Consequently, they are attempting to drag other nations into the situation—a "water ghost" tactic—to handle the aftermath of their own actions.

The U.S. is shamelessly pressuring South Korea to deploy troops. The U.S. has even resorted to threatening remarks, stating that there will be a "bleak future" if South Korea does not assist in the war effort.

Currently, there are 26 South Korean transport ships in the Strait of Hormuz. If a deployment is decided, these vessels will be exposed to missile attacks, making their safety impossible to guarantee. While Trump has ordered the evacuation of his own citizens from the Middle East, he is heartlessly dragging the citizens of other nations into this "sea of death."

Furthermore, Trump has made reckless comments toward Iran— which lost its leader and 175 elementary school students in a bombing—stating he might attack again "for fun". He is treating war like a game, trampling on human dignity and the value of life.

The world is witnessing the decline of a United States that ignores both morality and international law. The era of unipolar hegemony is ending, giving way to a multipolar era defined by mutual respect, cooperation, equality, and peace.

Iran’s geography, surrounded by three rugged mountain ranges, acts as a natural fortress that makes ground warfare difficult. Even aircraft carriers fear to approach due to hypersonic missiles.

The anti-government protests Trump hoped for have not materialized, and his ambition for a Nobel Peace Prize has vanished; one reaps what one sows.

For the sake of our citizens' lives and national interest, the Lee Jae-myung administration must resolutely reject Trump’s pressure to deploy troops.

Together with peace-loving people worldwide, we will oppose this illegal war of aggression and usher in a new era of peace.

We oppose the war! We oppose the troop deployment! We condemn Trump for forcing participation in an aggressive war! The Lee Jae-myung administration must firmly reject the U.S. request for deployment!

March 17, 2026.