Cheonghae Unit's Operational Area Expanded to Southern Oman, Patrol Aircraft Added

[Anchor]

The Ministry of National Defense has finalized a plan to extend the deployment of the Cheonghae Unit operating off the coast of the Gulf of Aden in Somalia and expand its mission area to waters south of Oman, not far from the Persian Gulf. It also decided to deploy an additional maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team.

Kim Minjun reports.

[Reporter]

A revised motion to extend the deployment of the Cheonghae Unit—focusing on expanding the mission area and forces of the naval unit that has been protecting commercial vessels in waters near the Gulf of Aden in Somalia—has been finalized.

Under the revised motion, the Cheonghae Unit's mission area will expand roughly twofold to the southern end of Duqm Port in Oman.

In addition to the existing destroyer, the government plans to additionally deploy one P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, unmanned mine countermeasure assets, and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to operate them.

The number of personnel will also increase by 75, including command staff, reaching around 395.

Operational command will remain with the Chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, as with previous Cheonghae Unit deployments.

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "We have moved to expand the Cheonghae Unit's mission and forces due to the vacuum in international naval forces caused by clashes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in the Red Sea area, as well as the resulting increase in piracy."

An official from the Ministry of National Defense said, "Pirate activity in the Gulf of Aden has surged to more than triple that of last year," adding, "Taking advantage of naval forces concentrating in the Red Sea and Hormuz regions, pirate activities are on the rise and expanding into waters south of Oman."

However, the defense ministry emphasized, "We have established the principle that the Cheonghae Unit will never get involved in or intervene in any war."

The revised deployment motion, which passed a vice-ministerial meeting this morning (November 5), will be submitted to the National Assembly and tabled at a plenary session following a Cabinet meeting and presidential approval next week.

The deployment period will run from the time it passes the plenary session of the National Assembly until December 31 of next year.

Video by Jeong Seong-hoon
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.