South Korea proposes larger naval patrol zone near Oman
The government seeks to double the operating radius of its anti-piracy unit, a move criticized by opposition lawmakers as a step toward direct involvement in the Middle East conflict.
By Sakura Novak ·
South Korean commercial ships and citizens in the region may face a different security setup next year if the government’s latest proposal passes. The Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that it plans to ask the National Assembly to expand the patrol area for its Cheonghae naval unit.
The current mission focuses on the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. Under the new plan, patrols would extend northeast into the Arabian Sea south of Oman. This change would roughly double the unit's operating radius to about 1,930 kilometers, or 1,200 miles.
The Cheonghae unit has protected shipping in the region since 2009. Its most recent contingent left Busan on October 2 aboard the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, a 4,400-tonne destroyer. The ship carries a maritime helicopter and about 300 service members. The government seeks to renew the mandate, which expires at the end of 2026, while broadening its scope. The proposal would also add 75 personnel, including a bomb disposal team, and a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.
Officials described the mission as strictly noncombat. The unit would remain under South Korean command and operate independently of allied forces. An unnamed defense official told Yonhap that the P-8A aircraft would be barred from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, Iran’s territorial waters, or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposal follows pressure from US President Donald Trump for Seoul to support Washington’s war on Iran. President Lee Jae Myung pledged in April to help protect shipping during talks led by the United Kingdom and France. However, in September, he stated he would avoid deployments that risked bringing South Korea into the war.
Opposition lawmakers have voiced strong objections. Kim Joon-hyung, floor leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, argued at a National Assembly news conference on Wednesday that widening the patrol area is effectively a troop deployment. He warned that South Korean forces could face Iranian retaliation. Kim said that if Trump portrays Seoul as the first country to dispatch troops, South Korea would become the first country to join the Middle East war. The motion is expected to reach lawmakers after cabinet endorsement next week.
