KoreaUpdate

South Korea Expands Anti-Piracy Mission, Prepares for Possible Hormuz Mine Clearance 1/4 | Mission Expansion South Korea plans to expand its Cheonghae naval mission from the Gulf of Aden to waters south of Oman, citing rising piracy and security gaps caused by conflicts in the Middle East. Key changes: • Operational area: ~600 → 1,200 miles • Personnel: 320 → up to 395 • Additional assets: One P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team and unmanned mine-countermeasure systems • Planned operating base: Djibouti (not yet finalized) According to the Defense Ministry, piracy incidents have surged from 11 in 2025 to 36 so far in 2026, as multinational naval forces have shifted toward conflict zones around Hormuz and the Red Sea. 2/4 | Hormuz Connection Seoul explicitly stated that the expansion is separate from Washington's broader request for allied contributions to stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry emphasized four principles: • No involvement in the ongoing Iran war • Protection of Korean nationals and commercial vessels • Operations limited to waters south of Oman, excluding the Gulf of Oman and Hormuz • Independent South Korean military command However, officials acknowledged that the deployment also takes into account possible future mine-clearance operations in Hormuz. The EOD team and unmanned systems will gain operational experience, adapt to local conditions and train alongside multinational forces. Officials stressed that preparing for Hormuz is not the primary purpose of the current deployment. South Korea has also dispatched a liaison officer to the British- and French-led maritime initiative. 3/4 | Conditions for Future Hormuz Mission Any future operation in Hormuz would require a "permissive environment." This could mean: • An end to the U.S.–Iran war • A US–Iran MOU enabling freedom-of-navigation operations • A clear assessment that the area is safe for maritime operations Officials also cited Iranian consent to mine clearance as a possible basis for participation. 4/4 | Separate Assembly Approval Required Crucially, separate approvals from South Korea’s National Assembly would be required for the Cheonghae mission expansion and any future deployment to Hormuz. The Cheonghae Unit's current mandate expires on December 31, 2026, and is renewed annually. Seoul is seeking National Assembly approval to extend it through December 31, 2027, while expanding its operational area and deploying additional assets. Any future deployment of the EOD team or other forces to Hormuz would require a separate National Assembly authorization, beyond the Cheonghae mission extension.