South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it will deploy maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team to waters near the Strait of Hormuz in a mission to keep the waterway open.
The announcement comes as Seoul says it will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in Iran’s war, while seeking to protect commercial shipping and energy supplies through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
The war between the United States and Iran that began on February 28 has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital channel for global energy supplies that normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.
The Defense Ministry has confirmed reports that the government is considering expanding the operational area of its naval anti-piracy unit Cheonghae, which protects commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, to waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a Defense Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
The deployment will include a destroyer, a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team, unmanned surface ships, unmanned underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for underwater exploration, Yonhap news agency reported.
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Extending the Cheonghae unit’s deployment – currently authorized until the end of this year – will require parliamentary approval, Yonhap said.
“Strengthening the mission of the Cheonghae unit is to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests,” a Defense Ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The official said the reinforcement was strictly for non-combat purposes and the unit would operate independently of allied forces.
“Operations will remain limited to open waters south of Oman, and maritime patrol aircraft will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz during their missions,” it said.
In September, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated that South Korea would not deploy troops in a way that could lead to military intervention.
“So far, we have maintained the principle of non-involvement and non-intervention in the war,” he said. “And we will continue to respect it in the future.”
Tehran warned South Korea against such a deployment after Seoul said it was considering a contribution to the security of the waterway.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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