South Korea has decided to deploy a specialised military team to the waters near the Strait of Hormuz to assist efforts to keep the vital shipping route open and protect commercial vessels from maritime threats, according to the country’s Ministry of National Defense.
The announcement comes as Seoul continues to insist that it will not send troops to take part in the ongoing war involving Iran.
South Korea’s objective is to protect commercial shipping and energy supplies passing through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.
Since the US-Iran war began on February 28, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has faced major disruptions. The narrow waterway is a critical route for global energy supplies, carrying approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil.
A spokesperson for South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said the government plans to expand the operational area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy naval unit, which currently operates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia to protect commercial vessels.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, parliamentary approval will be required to extend the unit’s current deployment mandate, which is authorised until the end of this year.
A defence ministry official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the expanded mission is intended to protect South Korean citizens and the country’s economic interests.
The official stressed that the additional deployment would serve exclusively non-combat purposes and that the unit would operate independently of US-led military forces.
The official also clarified that the naval operations would be restricted to international waters south of Oman. The mission would not involve targeting Iran, entering Iranian territorial waters or operating inside the Strait of Hormuz.
In September, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung reiterated that his country would not deploy troops in any manner that could constitute military intervention in the conflict.
“We have maintained our principle of not entering or participating in this war, and we will continue to uphold that principle,” the president said.
Iran has previously warned South Korea against undertaking any military action in connection with the security of the strategic waterway, following reports that Seoul was considering participation in efforts to protect maritime traffic.
