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A send-off ceremony for the 48th rotation of South Korea's Cheonghae Unit, aboard the destroyer Wang Geon, at Busan Naval Operations Base in May 2026. The Wang Geon will hand over its mission to the destroyer Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, which departed on Oct. 2 with the 49th rotation of the Cheonghae Unit. /Yonhap

The South Korean Cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to expand the Cheonghae Unit's operational area to waters south of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, and increase the number of deployed personnel. The move is intended to contribute to international military efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but controversy is expected during the National Assembly's approval process, as some parties broadly aligned with the ruling bloc, including the Rebuilding Korea Party, have criticized the plan as an "indirect military deployment."

The government approved a revised motion to extend the Cheonghae Unit's deployment at a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday. The motion includes expanding the unit's operational area and deploying additional military assets. It will be submitted to the National Assembly following presidential approval.

The motion calls for expanding the Cheonghae Unit's operational area from the Gulf of Aden to waters south of Oman and deploying one maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team and unmanned mine countermeasure equipment in addition to the existing destroyer. The mission will also be expanded to include "support for restoring freedom of navigation along international sea routes."

The deployment of the EOD team and unmanned mine countermeasure equipment, along with the new mission to support the restoration of freedom of navigation, is also reportedly intended to prepare for possible participation in international mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz following the end of the war between the United States and Iran.

The government has emphasized its principles of non-involvement in the war and maintaining an independent chain of command. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul reiterated on Tuesday, as he had the previous day, "Under the principle that we will absolutely not participate in or become involved in the war, we will maintain an independent chain of command and make every effort to fulfill our mission of protecting our citizens and vessels."

                                                                                                              Hong Sun-mi