South Korea plans to expand the operations of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit to waters closer to the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported from Seoul. The government will submit a motion to parliament to extend the unit’s Middle East deployment beyond its current expiry at the end of 2026, with the expanded operating area in waters near the port of Duqm in Oman, about 650 kilometres from the strait.
The Cheonghae unit has operated from the Gulf of Aden since 2009 with a 4,400-ton-class destroyer, a maritime operations helicopter and around 300 service members. Seoul will also deploy a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and raise the unit’s personnel by 75, according to the Korea Herald as cited in the report.
The Defense Ministry announcement followed pressure from US President Donald Trump for support in the war in Iran; Trump had criticised Seoul for insufficient support and scaled back major joint drills this summer. South Korea sourced 70 percent of its oil from the Middle East in 2025, most of it delivered through Hormuz, according to the Industry Ministry. President Lee Jae Myung said on September 18 that he would not deploy military assets in a way that could draw the country into conflict, while reviewing a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.