Threat assessment, operational capacity to be weighed comprehensively; National Assembly approval required if Cheonghae Unit is redeployed

Pilots board the Malta-flagged oil tanker Odessa, carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil, as it enters Daesan Port in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on May 8. The Odessa was the first crude oil carrier to arrive in South Korea after passing through the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the US-Iran war.
Pilots board the Malta-flagged oil tanker Odessa, carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil, as it enters Daesan Port in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on May 8. The Odessa was the first crude oil carrier to arrive in South Korea after passing through the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the US-Iran war.

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Monday it has yet to decide whether to deploy military assets to the Strait of Hormuz, as international discussions on maritime security in the Middle East continue following the conclusion of US-Iran negotiations. The ministry said it would "comprehensively consider the local threat assessment, force deployment and operational capabilities" before determining how South Korea could contribute to freedom of navigation in the area.

Spokesperson Jeong Bit-na, speaking at a regular briefing Monday, said "no decision has been made regarding whether to dispatch forces or what type to send."

The ministry said its review would weigh a range of factors: whether South Korean forces could realistically deploy from waters near the Korean Peninsula to the Strait of Hormuz, the level of danger posed by mines laid in the strait, and the operational capacity of South Korean forces to carry out missions there.

The United States and Iran agreed Sunday (local time) to end the war, effectively reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which had been under a near-total blockade since hostilities began. Observers say the agreement is likely to accelerate South Korea's deliberations over how to contribute to security in the strait.

On the possibility of deploying the Cheonghae Unit — currently on mission in the Gulf of Aden — to the Strait of Hormuz, Jeong said the ministry currently judges that National Assembly approval would be required "if the purpose of the dispatch mandate, such as assisting nationals or protecting overseas Koreans, were to change."

Asked whether the ministry was also considering sending minesweepers to conduct mine-clearing operations, Jeong said the question of whether to deploy forces and what type to send "must be decided through comprehensive review, so please approach it with caution."

The Defense Ministry also said it had received no further official requests from the United States regarding the Maritime Freedom Coalition (MFC) since the end-of-war agreement was reached, and that South Korea was actively participating in international discussions to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.


rimsclub@heraldcorp.com