South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense announced plans to expand operations of the Cheonghae naval task force, which has conducted anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since 2009. The government intends to request that the National Assembly extend the unit’s mandate beyond its scheduled expiration at the end of 2026 and broaden its operational area to include waters near the Omani port of Duqm, approximately 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposed expansion would roughly double the task force’s operating radius to about 1,930 kilometers. Under the new parameters, the unit would add 75 personnel, including a bomb disposal team, and deploy a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft to assist in monitoring shipping routes. South Korean officials characterized the mission as strictly noncombat in nature, with operations remaining under South Korean command and independent from allied forces.
Defense officials emphasized that the enhanced mission aims to protect South Korean citizens and economic interests. They specified that operations would be confined to open waters south of Oman, and maritime patrol aircraft would be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters, or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz. The cabinet is scheduled to endorse the proposal next week before it proceeds to lawmakers for consideration.
The initiative reflects ongoing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for South Korea to support American efforts regarding Iran. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung previously pledged in April to help safeguard regional shipping and later stated in September his intention to avoid deployments that could involve South Korea in the broader conflict. Opposition lawmakers have contested the expansion, arguing that it amounts to troop deployment and could expose South Korean forces to Iranian retaliation despite assurances of noncombat operations.
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