Seoul plans to expand mission to waters near the Strait of Hormuz — Korea Herald

South Korea plans to expand the operational area of the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit, which operates in the Gulf of Aden, to international waters south of Oman in the Arabian Sea. The mission is to be supplemented with a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal team and unmanned mine countermeasure systems.

As Korea Herald reports, the proposed change would nearly double the unit's operational radius, to approximately 1,930 kilometres. The Cheonghae unit is to be increased by 75 service members, to 395 personnel. The unit currently includes a 4,400-ton destroyer, a naval helicopter, high-speed boats and other assets.

Restrictions on the mission

A South Korean Defence Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strengthening of the mission would be non-combat in nature and that the unit would operate independently of allied forces. Operations are planned to be limited to international waters south of Oman. The P-8A aircraft will be prohibited from conducting surveillance of Iran's territory, its territorial waters and the inner part of the Strait of Hormuz.

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The government plans to submit a proposal on the updated mandate to the National Assembly after its approval by the Cabinet next week. Under the country's law, parliamentary consent is required for the overseas deployment of military personnel or the expansion of an existing mission. The mandate is also to include tasks supporting efforts to restore freedom of navigation on international routes.

Preparations for mine countermeasure operations

The explosive ordnance disposal team and unmanned demining systems are to be added in preparation for South Korea's possible participation in joint post-war operations to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the publication, clearing naval mines in the strait could become one of the main tasks requiring international coordination after the end of the war between the United States and Iran.

Separate parliamentary approval will be required for direct operations in the strait. Seoul also seeks to base additional forces in Djibouti and plans to begin consultations with that country's authorities after the parliamentary procedure begins.