National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac 

The Lee Jae-myung administration has revealed its true intentions toward the United States. The Blue House stated on the 6th that "Project Freedom," an operation to rescue ships in the Strait of Hormuz, has concluded, and there is no need to review participation in the operation.

National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac said at a Blue House briefing that day, "Our government has been reviewing participation in the Maritime Coalition Initiative (MFC) and had intended to review Project Freedom. However, as the operation has now concluded, we believe a review is no longer necessary."

In response, domestic public opinion, particularly among international affairs experts, is in an uproar.

Kim Joong-rak, CEO of CTM, pointed out on Facebook that this is a misunderstanding of US President Donald Trump's remarks.

“Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.”

The Korean translation of this statement is, "Project Freedom (an operation to move ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be temporarily suspended for a short period of time to see if the agreement can be finalized and signed," indicating a temporary pause, not an end to the operation.

CEO Kim Joong-rak criticized, "The problem is the Korean media reporting this without any commentary."

Meanwhile, American political columnist Gene Cummings also closely examined the situation on Facebook.

Cummings stated, "The US Navy set up positions on both sides of the sea in the Strait of Hormuz for Project Freedom and safely escorted ships from other countries. However, a cargo ship belonging to South Korea's HMM did not join the convoy." He added, "Choosing to sail alone as if they didn't need America's help led to an attack by Iran."

He further analyzed, "The Lee Jae-myung administration provided $500,000 to Iran and handed over detailed real-time AIS location information, vessel specifications, and crew numbers for all 26 vessels." He concluded, "The attack occurred precisely based on the location information provided by the South Korean government to Iran, leading to explosions and fires."

Furthermore, he criticized that compared to foreign ships that received US protection and suffered no damage, South Korea's foreign policy was closer to intentional negligence than a mistake or incompetence.

The following is the full text of Gene Cummings' Facebook post.

Wi Sung-lac stated, "Since the US has halted the operation, South Korea no longer needs to review its participation."

Twenty-six South Korean oil tankers and cargo ships are trapped in the Strait of Hormuz for over 40 days. The lives of 173 crew members, the lifeline of the South Korean economy, are held hostage.

Despite this, Lee Jae-myung boasted weeks ago about a few ships passing through the Red Sea detour, calling it a "valuable achievement of Team One."

The Lee Jae-myung administration provided $500,000 to Iran and handed over detailed real-time AIS location information, vessel specifications, and crew numbers for all 26 ships.

This was a servile flattery and a surrender declaration from the weak, saying, "We can compromise with you, South Korea, to this extent."

Iran's response to this was bombing. It was a clear signal of cold contempt, saying, "This is how much we think of you, South Korea."

This pattern is all too familiar. During the time when Moon Jae-in toured the international community, groveling before leaders of various countries, asking them to lift sanctions on North Korea and offering to mediate, North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers more than 13 times in 2019 alone.

In January 2022, even as Moon Jae-in toured the Middle East and Europe, pleading for help to lift North Korean sanctions, North Korea launched consecutive ballistic missile tests.

Even though he went around like a parrot asking for sanctions on North Korea to be lifted, North Korea conducted 70 to 90 missile provocations during his term.

We have already experienced firsthand that the more weakness is shown to communist and dictatorial regimes, the more cruelly and blatantly they exert pressure. The message Iran is sending to South Korea now is exactly the same.

The United States created a practical protective corridor in the Strait of Hormuz through Project Freedom. The US Navy set up positions on both sides of the sea and safely escorted ships from other countries. However, a cargo ship belonging to South Korea's HMM did not join the convoy.

It chose to sail alone, as if "America's help is not needed," and was attacked precisely based on the location information provided by the South Korean government to Iran, leading to explosions and fires. The fear and despair felt by the sailors at that moment are too cruel to even imagine.

President Trump stated clearly.

"South Korean ships were attacked while sailing alone, not joining our protective convoy. Ships from other countries that we protected suffered no damage whatsoever."

President Trump, while explaining the situation, looked utterly perplexed, as if he could not fathom the South Korean government's actions.

Afterward, when Trump temporarily suspended the operation to allow for progress in negotiations, National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac made a shocking declaration.

"Since Trump has paused the plan, we no longer need to consider participation."

This single sentence starkly reveals the essence of the Lee Jae-myung administration. The ones trapped in Hormuz are South Korean ships and South Korean citizens. However, the Lee Jae-myung administration treated the lives of its own citizens as a diplomatic option, contingent on whether to "participate" in the US operation.

Seeing them declare "we will stop too" as soon as the US stopped, we can see that these are not people who consider the safety of their own citizens as an absolute responsibility of the state. This is not a mistake or incompetence. It is intentional neglect.

They handed over information and money to Iran, rejected the US safety net, and chose to act alone. Then, regardless of whether their own ships were bombed, they evaded responsibility by shifting the blame to Trump, using the excuse that "since the US has paused, we have no need to review," to hide their true intentions of never having planned to provide escort in the first place.

They are widely publicizing the success of one or two ships passing through the Red Sea, while thoroughly remaining silent and ignoring the crisis faced by the numerous ships and sailors trapped for 40 days.

This is cold and clear evidence that they had no intention of rescuing the sailors from the beginning and no intention of protecting the oil tankers and cargo ships, regardless of the economic damage.

How can those who do not show even the minimal sense of responsibility, while their own ships are attacked by the enemy and the lives of their citizens are in danger, dare to mention the Sewol Ferry or discuss human rights in Iran and Palestine?

They lack the moral standing to do so. I hope they look up at the sky even once and examine their own consciences.

I wonder what is truly left there.