Balance of Power

South Korea Turns Gulf Crisis Into Opportunity

Ministers in Seoul have been adept at securing crude, selling weaponry.
A South Korean K-2 battle tank during an exercise at the Defense Expo Korea 2022 in Pocheon.Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

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For South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the Iran war presents both an unprecedented energy crisis and a fresh opportunity to strengthen Seoul’s hand against North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.