South Korea is reviewing a possible expansion of its military operations in the Middle East, a local newspaper reported on Thursday. The report comes as the US ally faces pressure from President Donald Trump to support the war in Iran.
Plans to widen the Cheonghae unit’s patrol zone
Seoul is considering enlarging the operational area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit, which was sent to the Gulf of Aden in 2009. The newspaper said the area could extend to the Gulf of Oman, which connects to the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name its sources.
According to the report, the administration of President Lee Jae Myung intends to put a motion before parliament to extend the unit’s mission, which is due to end at the close of this year. The government was also weighing the deployment of a frigate to the region to strengthen operations.
Defence Ministry says no final decisions yet
South Korea’s Defence Ministry said in a statement that the government is still assessing whether to send a motion to parliament before the mission expires on December 31, 2026. It added that nothing had been settled on the details of any extension.
The ministry also said the security situation in the Gulf of Aden had deteriorated, with pirate activity rising sharply compared with a year earlier. A local broadcaster reported that the unit currently includes a 4,400-ton-class destroyer, a maritime operations helicopter, up to three rigid-hull inflatable boats and around 300 service members.
Trump’s criticism and Lee’s stance on the Iran war
Trump has criticised Seoul for what he described as insufficient backing for the Iran war. This summer, the two countries also scaled back major joint military drills, a decision that unsettled the South Korean government.
On September 18, Lee said he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict. He added, however, that Seoul was examining whether it could play a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.
