South Korea’s military will expand the deployment of its anti-piracy unit currently operating off the coast of Africa to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic global oil shipping route under heightening tensions between the United States and Iran.

The Korean defense ministry said Tuesday that it has decided to “temporarily expand the mission area of Cheonghae anti-piracy unit into the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Aden to ensure safety of Korean citizens and free navigation of vessels, given the current situation in the Middle East.”

The 300-strong Cheonghae unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia since 2009 to combat piracy in the region in cooperation with African countries, the U.S, and the European Union.

The troop, however, will not join the U.S-led coalition International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) but operate independently, the ministry said. Instead, two liaison officers will be sent to the IMSC headquarters for cooperation such as sharing of information.

The U.S. has been pressuring South Korea, one of its key allies, for stronger cooperation in the Gulf for months as its conflict with Iran has grown more intense following Iran’s missile attacks on U.S troops in Iraq in retaliation of a U.S. airstrike, killing an Iranian general.

Washington welcomed and appreciated Seoul’s decision to expand its anti-piracy unit’s mission to the Strait of Hormuz, William Coleman, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, told reporters.

Tehran reportedly expressed concerns about Seoul’s latest decision when the Korean government briefed the Iranian government over the last weekend, emphasizing that the Korean mission will act independently from the U.S.-led international coalition. Iran has been warning that Seoul’s move to join the U.S.-led coalition could hurt its bilateral relations with Korea.

The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil passageway in the Gulf for South Korea, with vessels sailing through it about 900 times a year to transport more than 70 percent of oil from the Middle East. Also, some 25,000 South Koreans are residing in the region, according to the defense ministry.

By Park Man-won, Yeon Gyu-wook, and Cho Jeehyun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]