The South Korean Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday its intention to deploy a maritime patrol aircraft and a specialized explosives removal team near the Strait of Hormuz, as part of a mission aimed at contributing to the ongoing assurance of maritime navigation and the protection of energy supplies, while confirming that it does not intend to engage militarily in the Iranian war.
The ministry stated that the government intends to expand the operations of the "Cheonghae" naval unit, currently tasked with combating piracy in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, to include waters close to the Strait of Hormuz, as confirmed by a ministry spokesperson.
According to the South Korean news agency "Yonhap," the deployment plan includes a naval destroyer and a "P-8" patrol aircraft, along with a team for explosive ordnance disposal and unmanned boats.
The agency explained that extending the unit's mission, currently authorized until the end of this year, requires approval from the South Korean parliament.
A defense ministry official stated that enhancing the unit's capabilities aims to "protect citizens and maintain the economic interests" of South Korea, emphasizing that the reinforcements will be exclusively for non-combat purposes, and that the unit will operate independently of allied forces.
He added that the unit's operations will be limited to open waters south of the Sultanate of Oman, with a ban on targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, as well as the territorial waters and internal areas of the Strait of Hormuz.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had confirmed last September that his country would not deploy its forces in a way that could lead to military intervention in the war, stressing the continued commitment to the principle of non-involvement or intervention.
This South Korean move comes amid rising regional tensions and concerns about the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran has previously warned Seoul against taking any steps to participate in securing the waterway.