South Korea considers strengthening anti-piracy unit — Korea Herald

South Korea is considering strengthening the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit, which operates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, with additional military assets. The government is also studying the submission to the National Assembly of a proposal to extend the unit's overseas mission after its current mandate expires on December 31, 2026, Korea Herald reports.

Strengthening surveillance and defense

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said that the security situation in the Gulf of Aden has worsened and pirate activity has increased significantly compared with previous years. Details of a possible extension of the mission have not yet been determined.

According to the publication's military sources, the authorities are exploring ways to strengthen the unit's capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance and self-defense. Options under consideration include the possible deployment of a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, capable of monitoring vast maritime areas.

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The Cheonghae unit currently includes a 4,400-ton DDH-II-class destroyer, a naval helicopter, up to three rigid-hull inflatable boats and a contingent of up to 320 personnel. The unit has operated off the coast of Somalia since 2009, conducting anti-piracy operations and escorting commercial vessels.

Debate over the mission's limits

Discussions about strengthening the unit are taking place amid tensions in the Middle East, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and changes in maritime routes. According to the publication, Cheonghae provided remote escort to South Korean oil tankers travelling via alternative routes through the Red Sea.

President Lee Jae Myung previously ruled out sending South Korean troops or equipment to take part in the war in the Middle East, while allowing for the strengthening of Cheonghae's existing role in protecting the country's citizens and commercial vessels. Defense Minister Kang Shin Chul told lawmakers that the ministry was examining various aspects of the mission and its extension. Kim Byung Joo, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, stressed that strengthening the unit should not be interpreted as a deployment of forces in the Strait of Hormuz.