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2026-11-05 09:46:27
[South Korea expands anti-piracy mission to near the Strait of Hormuz, providing military support to the region for the first time] (1) According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean officials said on Thursday that South Korea plans to expand its anti-piracy mission in the waters near Somalia, extending its operations to the waters near the Strait of Hormuz, and will deploy additional military forces, including maritime patrol aircraft and explosive ordnance disposal teams. (2) This will be the first time South Korea has provided military support to this conflict-ridden region. (3) Since the outbreak of the US-Iran war in February, the South Korean government has been weighing whether to participate in international efforts to keep this strategic waterway open, and related discussions have continued for months; Seoul had previously effectively rejected a request from its ally, the United States, to provide support for military operations against Iran. (4) Officials said that after adjusting the deployment authorization of the "Cheonhae Unit" currently operating in the Gulf of Aden, its area of operation will be extended northeastward to cover the waters south of Oman in the Arabian Sea; this expansion is expected to double the unit's operational radius to about 1,930 kilometers. (5) South Korea will also deploy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft to support the destroyers, which will take turns escorting merchant ships and crew through the Red Sea and maintaining maritime security in the region.
