South Korea Plans to Expand Naval Task Force Operations Closer to Strait of Hormuz

South Korea plans to expand its anti-piracy unit’s operations in the Middle East to waters closer to the Strait of Hormuz, as prolonged instability in the region raises concerns about the security of international shipping routes.The government will submit a motion to parliament to extend the Cheonghae unit’s deployment and expand its operational area from the Gulf of Aden to waters south of Oman, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Bin-na said on Thursday.“As we need parliamentary approval for the extension of the Cheonghae Unit’s deployment before the end of the year, we have expanded its operational area as part of that process,” Chung told reporters.“Regarding freedom of navigation, we have included that wording in the proposal so that we can prepare for such activities when a permissive environment and suitable conditions are established.”The unit has operated in the Gulf of Aden since 2009. The proposed expansion of the operational area would not extend into the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesperson said, adding that it would remain more than 400 miles away.It would add 75 personnel, bringing the unit’s total strength to 395, Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday. The unit would also receive additional military assets, including a maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal team, and unmanned mine-sweeping systems.Chung said the proposed expansion is not being done on the assumption that the unit will eventually go to the Strait of Hormuz.She said more than 70 percent of South Korea’s crude oil imports pass through the region, making freedom of navigation an important national interest.“Freedom of navigation is something that all countries need,” she added.According to the International Energy Agency, oil accounts for 35 percent of South Korea’s total energy supply, while net crude oil imports accounted for 99.1 percent of the country’s crude oil supply in 2025.South Korea sourced 70 percent of its oil imports from the Middle East last year, with most of those shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the South Korean Industry Ministry said.Long-Running MissionAccording to South Korea’s 2018 defense white paper, the Cheonghae unit operates a 4,400-ton destroyer, a Lynx anti-submarine helicopter, and three speed boats.During its deployment, the unit has rescued South Korean vessels, confronted suspected pirates, evacuated South Korean nationals from Libya and Yemen, and escorted approximately 18,750 South Korean and international ships as of November 2018.South Korea has adjusted the unit’s mission in the past in response to regional developments.In 2020, the military expanded the deployment of the anti-piracy force operating off the coast of Africa to cover waters around the Strait of Hormuz.The unit was also dispatched closer to the Strait of Hormuz in early 2021 after Iranian forces seized the South Korean-flagged tanker MT Hankuk Chemi and its 20-member crew.South Korean navy sailors and special forces salute during a ceremony marking the launch of the “Cheonghae” unit in Busan on March 3, 2009. Choi Jae-Ho/AFP via Getty ImagesAt the time, the Chungmugong Yi Sun Sin-class destroyer Choi Young was sent to operate near the strategic waterway, according to previous reports referenced in the ministry’s background material.South Korean officials have consistently said they would avoid direct involvement in the conflict while remaining open to measures that protect international shipping.In May, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said that Seoul was considering phased support for international efforts to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following discussions with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.According to Ahn, possible forms of support included political backing, intelligence sharing, dispatching personnel, and providing military assets.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in September that South Korea would not deploy military assets in a way that would draw the country into war.The proposed expansion of Cheonghae unit’s operations follows reports of new maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz.Iran said on Thursday that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate incidents after attempting to transit the waterway.According to Iranian forces, one tanker struck a mine while another supertanker caught fire while leaving the route, and a tugboat assisting the vessel also caught fire.Reuters contributed to this report.