As tensions in the Middle East are rising, South Korean government is rethinking the option of sending naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz by expanding the operational scope of its anti-piracy ‘Cheonghae Unit’ when the next ship is rotated to the Gulf of Aden next month.
Tensions have surged after an American drone strike last week killed Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of the Quds Force, part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
A deployment to the Strait of Hormuz could not only damage South Korea’s relationship with Iran but also cause South Korean forces to be embroiled in a war, Korean media report.
The worsening conflict between the US and Iran obviously complicates the calculations for the South Korean government. The discussion of deployment hasn’t advanced any further. We’re keeping a close eye on the situation,
…a South Korean government official told Korean outlet Hankyoreh.
Iranian military controls the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for the world’s crude oil supply.
The Cheonghae Anti-piracy Unit was established by the Republic of Korea Navy to protect civilian ships near the coast of Somalia.
The unit’s missions last for six months, and the 4,400-ton ROKS Wang Geon is scheduled to take over next month.
As it would take the Wang Geon no more than three days to arrive from Gulf of Aden at the Strait of Hormuz, the South Korean government has been seriously considering the option of taking this opportunity to expand the Cheonghae Unit’s operational scope to include the Strait of Hormuz.
However this could spark criticism in the South Korean public, amid an increasing likelihood of a collision between the US and Iran.
Amid the ongoing crisis, the UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said this week that the Royal Navy will accompany British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection during high tensions in the region.