South Korea says it will expand naval operations closer to strait of Hormuz

South Korea plans to expand the operations of its anti-piracy unit to waters closer to the strait of Hormuz, its defence ministry has said, after pressure from Donald Trump to provide support for his war in Iran.

The government is to submit a motion to parliament that would expand the Cheonghae unit’s area of operation to waters near the port of Duqm in Oman, which is about 650km (403 miles) away from the strait. The motion also needs to be approved by President Lee Jae Myung and the cabinet.

“The enhancement of the Cheonghae unit’s mission is to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests,” a defence ministry official told reporters.

The reinforcement was strictly for non-combat purposes and the unit would operate independently of allied forces, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“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 move came as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said two oil tankers and a tugboat had caught fire in separate incidents after attempting to use unauthorised routes through the strait.

One tanker struck a mine while attempting to cross a passage south of the waterway, while another supertanker caught fire while exiting the route in the eastern part of the strait, the IRGC said on Thursday. A tugboat that approached the second vessel to help extinguish the fire also caught fire.

Trump has criticised South Korea for what he called insufficient support for the Iran war and scaled back major joint military drills by the two countries’ armed forces this summer, a move that unsettled the US ally.

The unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden since 2009 to ensure safe navigation of commercial vessels.

The motion also seeks to extend the unit’s deployment to the Middle East, which is set to expire at the end of 2026, a ministry spokesperson said, confirming a report by Yonhap news agency.

It currently includes a 4,400-ton-class destroyer, a maritime operations helicopter, up to three rigid-hull inflatable boats and about 300 service members, according to broadcaster YTN.

Seoul would also deploy a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and increase the unit’s personnel by 75, the Korea Herald reported.

South Korea relies heavily on oil imports and sourced 70% of its supplies from the Middle East in 2025, most of it delivered through the strait of Hormuz, according to the industry ministry.

Lee said on 18 September that he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict, but that Seoul was reviewing playing a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.

With Reuters and Agence France-Presse