South Korea says it will expand naval operations closer to strait of Hormuz — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- South Korea will submit a motion to parliament to expand the Cheonghae unit’s operating area to waters near Duqm, Oman, about 650 km from the Strait of Hormuz; President Lee Jae Myung and the cabinet must also approve it.
- Cheonghae unit would remain independent of allied forces and strictly non-combat, operating only in open waters south of Oman; its P-8A would be barred from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters or the Strait’s interior.
- Trump criticised Seoul for what he called insufficient support for his war in Iran and scaled back major joint U.S.–South Korean military drills this summer, unsettling the ally.
- Cheonghae unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden since 2009 to ensure safe commercial navigation, while the motion seeks to extend its Middle East deployment beyond its scheduled expiry at the end of 2026.
- Cheonghae unit currently includes a 4,400-ton-class destroyer, a maritime operations helicopter, up to three rigid-hull inflatable boats and about 300 personnel; one P-8A and 75 additional personnel are planned.
- South Korea sourced 70% of its oil supplies from the Middle East in 2025, most through the Strait of Hormuz, while the defence ministry said the expanded mission would protect citizens and economic interests.
- Lee Jae Myung said on September 18 that Seoul would not deploy military assets in ways that draw the country into conflict, even as the government reviewed a greater navigation-security role.
Why it matters: For South Korea, which sourced 70% of its oil from the Middle East in 2025, the proposal would bring patrol capacity closer to the route carrying most of that supply. A P-8A, 75 more personnel and an extension beyond the end-2026 deployment expiry would expand Seoul’s navigation role, while Trump’s criticism and drill cuts have unsettled the alliance.
Ask SkimNews
