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Lee orders emergency response system for all ministries over ‘urgent’ Mideast situation
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday instructed the presidential office and all ministries to be put under an emergency response system in order to address heightened tensions in the Middle East following U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
In his first meeting with senior presidential aides since taking office, Lee called the Middle East situation “very urgent” and called on authorities to do their utmost to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals in the region.
He also directed ministries to consider including additional measures to address the Middle East crisis in the upcoming supplementary budget, if necessary.
The meeting was attended by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, among other key aides.
It marks the first meeting of its kind since Lee’s inauguration on June 4.
Later in the day, Lee hosted a dinner at his official residence with Kim Byung-kee, acting leader and floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, along with other senior party officials.
During the two-hour meeting, Lee emphasized the importance of cooperation between the administration and the National Assembly to improve people’s livelihoods. The party leadership expressed its commitment to working with the government on legislation aimed at revitalizing the economy, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.