South Korea plans to expand its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit from the Gulf of Aden toward waters south of Oman, about 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz, and to add a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and mine-clearing assets, Yonhap reported Thursday.
Defense officials said the revised mandate would roughly double the unit’s operational radius and raise personnel to 395. Operations would remain non-combat, under Korean command, and barred from targeting Iranian territory or the interior of the strait.
The move follows months of debate over Seoul’s role since the US-Iran war began in February. South Korea has declined US requests for combat support against Tehran while seeking to protect shipping and economic interests.
Cabinet endorsement and National Assembly consent are required. Officials said an explosive ordnance disposal team and unmanned mine-sweeping systems would also prepare Seoul for possible post-war efforts to restore navigation in Hormuz, which would need separate approval and a “permissive environment.”
The Cheonghae unit, created in 2009 under a UN anti-piracy mandate, currently sails a destroyer with a helicopter and boats; its latest contingent left Busan in early October.
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Seoul intends to base the added aircraft and teams out of Djibouti, where the United States, Japan, France and Spain already operate maritime patrol units, once parliamentary approval is secured. The current Cheonghae mandate expires Dec. 31 and is renewed annually.
Officials stressed the reinforcement is meant to protect South Korean citizens and economic interests and that the unit would operate independently from allied combat forces fighting Iran.
Sources: Yonhap, The Korea Herald
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