Ships anchored off the coast of Musandam governorate in Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP Photo)
South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Nov. 5 said that it would deploy maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team to waters near the Strait of Hormuz as part of a mission to help keep the waterway open.
The announcement comes as Seoul maintains it will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war, while seeking to protect commercial shipping and energy supplies through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
The ministry confirmed reports that the government plans to expand the operational area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy naval unit, which protects commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, to waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a spokesperson said on Nov. 5.
The deployment will include a destroyer, a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team, unmanned surface vessels, unmanned underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for underwater exploration, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Extending the deployment of the Cheonghae unit, currently authorized until the end of this year, will require parliamentary approval, Yonhap said.
“The enhancement of the Cheonghae unit’s mission is to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests,” an official told reporters.
The official said the reinforcement is strictly for non-combat purposes and the unit will operate independently of allied forces.
“Operations will remain restricted to the open waters south of Oman, and the maritime patrol aircraft will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz during their missions,” he said.
