South Korea has decided to expand its naval patrols to waters near Oman. This action comes in response to the increase in piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia and aims to protect commercial vessels and oil shipments.
Details of Naval Patrols
The South Korean Ministry of Defense has announced that the "Cheonghae" unit of its navy has been escorting commercial vessels in waters near Somalia since 2009. With this new plan, the unit will also patrol near the port of Duqm in Oman, which is about 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. The patrols will be conducted outside the Strait of Hormuz, and the command of this unit will remain with South Korea.
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The South Korean government has taken this action due to the rise in piracy this year, which has reached 36 incidents off the coast of Somalia. For comparison, this figure was only 11 for the entire year of 2025. The ministry has stated that pirates have moved towards Oman as international naval forces have focused their attention on the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
Additional Equipment and Forces
The South Korean navy will also deploy a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft, a bomb disposal team, and unmanned vessels for mine clearance to the area. Following this plan, the number of personnel in this unit will increase from 320 to 395. The current mandate of this naval unit will expire on December 31, 2025, and South Korea's Deputy Ministers of Defense have supported this plan.
If the government and Lee Jae-myung, the President of South Korea, approve this plan, the National Assembly will vote on expanding the patrol area and extending this mission until December 31, 2027.
The Importance of the Strait of Hormuz for South Korea
The Strait of Hormuz is of particular importance to South Korea as one of the main oil transport hubs in the Middle East. In 2025, the country sourced about 70% of its oil from this region. Lee Jae-myung mentioned in September that South Korea is obligated to protect its citizens, commercial vessels, and oil shipments, but has rejected any deployment that might lead the country into war.
Seoul has also supported the UK and France-led initiative to protect commercial vessels and clear mines in the Strait. The South Korean Ministry of Defense has stated that deploying mine-clearing equipment to waters near Oman will be an experience for Korean crews that they can utilize in future missions.
An official from the South Korean Ministry of Defense has also stated that Seoul will participate in this plan if requested, after the end of the war or in a situation where Washington and Tehran reach an agreement that allows for the safe operation of crews. Any troop deployment within the Strait will still require parliamentary approval.
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