Seoul Moves Navy Patrols Closer to Iran

South Korea plans to extend its anti-piracy naval patrols from the Gulf of Aden to waters near the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministry of National Defense announced the move on Thursday, responding to US demands for support in the ongoing conflict with Iran. The government intends to ask the National Assembly to extend the mandate of the Cheonghae unit, a naval task force whose current authorization expires at the end of 2026.

The proposed expansion would shift operations to the Arabian Sea south of Oman. This area includes waters near the port of Duqm, located roughly 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. Officials told Yonhap that the change would double the unit's operating radius to approximately 1,930 kilometers. The cabinet is expected to endorse the motion next week before it goes to lawmakers.

The Cheonghae unit has protected commercial shipping in the region since 2009. Its current contingent departed Busan on October 2 aboard the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, a 4,400-tonne destroyer carrying about 300 service members and a maritime helicopter. Under the new plan, the force will add 75 personnel, including a bomb disposal team, and a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft to monitor shipping routes.

A defense official speaking to Yonhap described the mission as strictly noncombat and under South Korean command. The unit will operate independently of allied forces. The official stated that the goal is to protect South Korean citizens and safeguard economic interests. He specified that operations will remain restricted to open waters south of Oman. The P-8A aircraft will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters, or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz.

The proposal follows pressure from US President Donald Trump for Seoul to support Washington’s war on Iran. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pledged in April to help safeguard shipping during talks led by the United Kingdom and France. However, in September, he stated he would avoid deployments that might draw South Korea into the war.

Opposition lawmakers have criticized the expansion. Kim Joon-hyung, floor leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, called the move a deceptive workaround at a news conference in Seoul on Wednesday. He argued that expanding the operational area is functionally a troop deployment. Kim warned that if President Trump claims South Korea was the first to dispatch troops, the country would become the first to join the Middle East war.