South Korea to Deploy Military Mission to Keep Strait of Hormuz Open
The revised mandate would add 75 personnel and new surveillance and mine-clearing assets to protect shipping lanes and support freedom of navigation.
- On Thursday, the South Korea Defence Ministry announced plans to expand the Cheonghae Unit's operational area to waters south of Oman, about 650 km from the Strait of Hormuz, to help safeguard maritime navigation.
- Rising piracy incidents—which grew from 11 in 2025 to 36 this year—and pressure from President Donald Trump to support the Iran war prompted the government to seek the expanded mandate.
- Reinforcements include a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and an EOD team, increasing the unit's personnel ceiling from 320 to 395 to supplement the existing 4,400-ton destroyer and other assets.
- Officials emphasized the mission remains strictly for non-combat purposes, with operations restricted to waters south of Oman and the deployment set to run through December 31, 2027, pending parliamentary approval.
- The addition of mine-clearing equipment aims to prepare the unit for potential post-war operations to restore freedom of navigation in the region while operating independently of allied forces.
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South Korea's Defense Ministry said Thursday it will send a maritime patrol aircraft and an explosives disposal team to waters near the Strait of Hormuz on a mission to help keep the strait open.
Seoul will extend the area of operations of the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit of its Navy, currently in charge of protecting commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia, to waters near the Strait of Ormuz
(Update lead and detailed process of approval of plan and increase of piracy) Seoul, 5 Nov (EFE).- Seoul plans to expand an antipiracy naval mission with which it operates in the Gulf of Aden to approach the Strait of Ormuz, in the face of pressure from Washington to contribute militarily to the security of this strategic route [...] The entry South Korea plans to approach a naval mission to Ormuz amid U.S. pressures was first published in HolaN…
South Korea plans to expand its naval mission to combat piracy in the Arabian Sea. A maritime patrol aircraft and an explosives disposal team will be sent to the Cheonhae unit, Yonhap news agency reported, citing official sources. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the move was aimed at protecting the country’s citizens and safeguarding its economic interests. “The expansion of the Cheonhae unit’s mission is aimed at protecting our citizens and…
The announcement comes as Seoul mains it will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war.
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