South Korea to Expand Anti-Piracy Unit Operations Closer to Strait of Hormuz
The revised mission would add 75 personnel and a P-8A aircraft as Seoul seeks to protect shipping routes and keep the waterway open.
- 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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93 Articles
It only changes the strategy and announces, through the Ministry of Defence of South Korea, that it will send a maritime patrol aircraft, but also a demining team near the Ormuz Straits, as part of a mission to help ensure the movement on this intense strategic maritime route disputed by Iran and the United States, reports AFP and the official South Korean press agency Yonhap.
The Cheonghae unit area of operations would almost double and extend to the vicinity of the Omani port of Duqm, approximately 650 kilometres from the Strait of Ormuz
The South Korean Ministry of Defence announced Thursday that it will conduct a maritime patrol aircraft and a demining team near the Ormuz Straits, as part of a mission to help ensure movement on this strategic maritime route, reports AFP.
A normalization of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormus is still a long way away. Again there are several incidents in the Strait. Aid is to come soon from South Korea, but will be limited to open waters.
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