(LEAD) S. Korea to expand anti-piracy mission closer to Hormuz, send more naval assets

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(ATTN: ADDS para 3 with adoption of deployment motion at vice ministerial meeting; TRIMS para 9) By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to expand its anti-piracy mission off Somalia to waters near the Strait of Hormuz with additional military assets, including a maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) team, to be deployed, officials said Thursday, signaling the country's first contribution to the conflict-stricken region.

The move follows months of deliberation over its role in international efforts to keep the strategic waterway open since the U.S.-Iran war erupted in February. Seoul has effectively turned down requests from its ally Washington for military support against Tehran.

The decision, reached at a vice-ministerial meeting, is subject to parliamentary consent under South Korean law regarding overseas military deployment or any expansion of an existing mission.

The revised deployment mandate for the Cheonghae unit, currently operating in the Gulf of Aden, will extend its operational area northeast to waters south of Oman in the Arabian Sea, officials said. The proposed expansion will roughly double its operational radius to about 1,930 kilometers.

Seoul will also deploy the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft to support the destroyer on the rotational mission escorting commercial ships and crews through the Red Sea and ensuring maritime safety in the region.

The 49th contingent of the anti-piracy Cheonghae unit aboard the 4,400-ton Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin destroyer leaves a naval port in the southeastern city of Busan, some 330 kilometers from Seoul, in this file photo from Oct. 2, 2026, to rotate with the previous crew operating in the Gulf of Aden, in this file photo provided by the South Korean Navy Operational Command. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"The enhancement of the Cheonghae unit's mission is to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests," a defense ministry official said earlier on the condition of anonymity, stressing that the proposed reinforcement is strictly for non-combat purposes and the unit will operate independently from any allied forces.

"Operations will remain restricted to the open waters south of Oman, and the 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," he said.

The expansion will add 75 personnel to the unit, bringing its total count to 395.

The government plans to submit the motion for the revised mandate to the National Assembly following Cabinet endorsement next week.

The ministry official noted that the motion will add a new mandate to "support efforts to restore freedom of navigation in international shipping routes" to reflect the expanded mission.

While expanding the operational scope and deployment of the P-8A focus on the unit's enhancement, the addition of an EOD team, along with unmanned mine-sweeping systems, aims to prepare for Seoul's potential participation in post-war joint operations to restore the Strait of Hormuz, another ministry official noted.

Clearing sea mines in the strait is expected to be a primary task requiring international coordination once the war ends.

The operation involves deploying remotely operated submersible robots from uncrewed surface or underwater vessels to locate targets, attach explosive charges and detonate the mines.

Given its limited experience with unmanned mine countermeasures systems, officials said, Seoul seeks to leverage the deployment to test their performance and operational adaptability.

For any recovery operations to begin in the Strait of Hormuz, South Korea has aligned with Britain, France and other partner nations on the need for a "permissive environment" as a prerequisite for launching such missions.

That condition refers to either the end of the U.S.-Iran conflict or a formal agreement signed between the two sides to begin operations aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the region.

"We have promised to join upon request under those conditions," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "As a member of the international community, we must participate. ... We cannot go unprepared when called upon, and that imperative is part of the rationale."

This file photo shows the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft of the South Korean Navy conducting a flight test during a rehearsal for the Armed Forces Day in 2024. (Yonhap)

Deploying these non-combat assets for operations in the Strait of Hormuz would require separate parliamentary approval, a step defense officials say the government is prepared to take.

Seoul seeks to operate the newly added assets out of Djibouti, the strategic choke point connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, and begin its consultations with the East African nation to that end once the parliamentary process gets under way.

Djibouti also hosts a U.S. military base where its allies and partners like Japan, Spain and France deploy their maritime patrol units.

The Cheonghae unit was formed in 2009 to assist with the U.N. mission launched by a Security Council resolution to battle piracy and ensure maritime security in the Gulf of Aden.

The government renews the unit's mandate annually through parliamentary approval, with the current deployment set to expire Dec. 31.

The unit currently consists of a 4,400-ton destroyer, a naval helicopter, high-speed boats and other assets. Its 49th contingent aboard the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin destroyer left for the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 2 to rotate with the previous crew.

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

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(LEAD) S. Korea to expand anti-piracy mission closer to Hormuz, send more naval assets

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

（注意：新增第3段，内容为副部长级会议通过部署动议；修改第9段）金承延

首尔，11月5日（韩联社）——韩国官员周四表示，韩国计划将其在索马里附近的反海盗行动扩大到霍尔木兹海峡附近水域，并部署包括海上巡逻机和爆炸物处理小组在内的更多军事力量，这标志着韩国首次向这个饱受冲突蹂躏的地区做出贡献。

此前数月，韩国一直在权衡自身在国际社会为维护这条战略水道畅通所做的努力中应扮演的角色。自今年2月美伊战争爆发以来，韩国一直拒绝盟友华盛顿提出的军事援助请求。

该决定是在一次副部长级会议上做出的，根据韩国有关海外军事部署或扩大现有任务的法律，该决定须经国会批准。

官员表示，目前在亚丁湾执行任务的“清海”号潜艇部队，其部署任务范围将根据修订后的部署指令向东北方向扩展，延伸至阿拉伯海阿曼以南海域。此次拟议的扩张将使其作战半径大致翻一番，达到约1930公里。

首尔方面还将部署 P-8A 海上巡逻机，支援驱逐舰执行轮换任务，护送商船和船员穿越红海，确保该地区的海上安全。

这张摄于2026年10月2日的资料照片显示，韩国海军“清海”号驱逐舰（排水量4400吨）搭载着第49批反海盗部队人员，从位于韩国东南部釜山市（距首尔约330公里）的海军港口出发，前往亚丁湾与上一批执行任务的舰员进行轮换。（照片非卖品）（韩联社）

一位国防部官员早些时候匿名表示：“加强清海部队的任务是为了保护我们的公民和维护我们的经济利益。”他强调，此次增援完全是为了非战斗目的，该部队将独立于任何盟军部队运作。

他说：“行动仍将仅限于阿曼以南的公海，海上巡逻机在执行任务期间将被禁止以伊朗领土、领海或霍尔木兹海峡内部为目标或进行监视。”

此次扩建将为该单位增加 75 名人员，使其总人数达到 395 人。

政府计划在下周内阁批准后，将修订后的授权动议提交国民议会。

该部官员指出，该动议将增加一项新的任务，即“支持恢复国际航运航线航行自由的努力”，以体现扩大后的任务。

另一位国防部官员指出，在扩大 P-8A 的作战范围和部署重点提升该部队能力的同时，增加爆炸物处理小组和无人扫雷系统，旨在为首尔未来可能参与战后恢复霍尔木兹海峡的联合行动做好准备。

战争结束后，清除海峡中的水雷预计将成为一项需要国际协调的首要任务。

该行动包括从无人水面或水下船只上部署遥控潜水机器人，以定位目标、安装爆炸装置并引爆水雷。

官员们表示，鉴于首尔在无人水雷对抗系统方面的经验有限，首尔希望利用此次部署来测试其性能和作战适应性。

对于任何要在霍尔木兹海峡展开的打捞行动，韩国已与英国、法国和其他伙伴国家达成一致，认为需要“有利的环境”作为开展此类任务的先决条件。

该条件指的是美伊冲突的结束，或者双方签署正式协议，开始旨在恢复该地区航行自由的行动。

这位要求匿名的官员表示：“我们已承诺在接到请求后，按照这些条件加入。作为国际社会的一员，我们必须参与……我们不能在被召唤时毫无准备，而这正是我们做出这一承诺的理由之一。”

这张资料照片显示，韩国海军的P-8A海上巡逻机正在进行飞行测试，为2024年韩国武装部队日进行彩排。（韩联社）

将这些非战斗资产部署到霍尔木兹海峡执行任务需要获得议会的单独批准，国防官员表示，政府已准备好采取这一步骤。

首尔方面希望从连接红海和亚丁湾的战略咽喉要道吉布提运营新增加的资产，并计划在议会程序启动后，就此与这个东非国家展开磋商。

吉布提还设有美国军事基地，其盟友和伙伴如日本、西班牙和法国都在此部署海上巡逻部队。

清海部队成立于 2009 年，旨在协助联合国根据安理会决议发起的打击海盗、确保亚丁湾海上安全的任务。

政府每年通过议会批准更新该部队的任务授权，目前的部署将于 12 月 31 日到期。

该部队目前由一艘4400吨级的驱逐舰、一架海军直升机、高速艇及其他装备组成。其第49批人员于10月2日搭乘“忠武公”号驱逐舰前往亚丁湾，与上一批人员进行轮换。

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

（第三条）首尔将继续基于“明确原则”对非军事区爆炸事件采取必要措施：Wi

青瓦台称李明博的“不干预战争”言论并非拒绝特朗普的霍尔木兹海峡请求。

（第五条）李表示，韩国正在考虑是否向霍尔木兹海峡地区提供援助，但不会卷入战争。

（新闻焦点）韩国面临是否在霍尔木兹海峡部署武器的高风险决定。

韩国将在美伊协议达成后，探索为霍尔木兹海峡稳定做出贡献的“具体”途径。

（导语）在两伊战争持续之际，海军向清海舰队部署了一艘4400吨级的驱逐舰。

（导语）韩国将扩大反海盗行动范围至霍尔木兹海峡附近，并增派海军力量