South Korean officials have announced plans to expand the country’s anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia to waters near the Strait of Hormuz.
Yonhap News Agency reported early Thursday, November 5, that the move follows months of discussions over South Korea’s role in international efforts to keep the strategic waterway open since the outbreak of the US-Iran war.
Under South Korean law, the decision requires parliamentary approval, as it involves either an overseas military deployment or an expansion of an existing mission.
However, a South Korean Defense Ministry official said: “Operations will be limited to international waters south of Oman. Maritime patrol aircraft will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters, or areas inside the Strait of Hormuz during their missions.”
The official added that the plan would introduce a new mission to “support efforts to restore freedom of navigation along international shipping routes.”
Clearing naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the war is also expected to require international coordination.
