South Korea plans to extend naval mission towards Hormuz

South Korea plans to send a patrol aircraft and mine-clearing equipment to support an expanded naval mission intended to protect commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz and safeguard energy supplies. The proposed operations would remain outside the strait itself.

The Cheonghae unit, which currently operates against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, would extend its area to open waters south of Oman. It already has a destroyer; the planned additions include a P-8A patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal team and unmanned mine-clearing systems.

The proposal passed a meeting of vice-ministers on 5 November. The government plans to submit it to the National Assembly after cabinet consideration next week, Yonhap news agency reported. Parliamentary consent is required.

A defence ministry official told Yonhap that the mission would be non-combat and operate independently of allied forces. The aircraft would be prohibited from monitoring Iranian territory, Iranian territorial waters or the Strait of Hormuz.

Another ministry official said the mine-clearing equipment was also intended to prepare for possible future operations in the strait. Such a deployment would require separate parliamentary approval, Yonhap reported.