S. Korea deployed Chonghae to the Strait of Hormuz. (Image via Al Jazeera)

S. Korea deploys anti-piracy forces to Strait of Hormuz

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
International
Jan 21, 2020
1834
On Tuesday, The Ministry of Defense of South Korea (S. Korea) revealed its plan to expand its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit from the coast of Africa to around the Strait of Hormuz.

The plan came after the United States (U.S) pressed S. Korea to help guard the oil shipments. Either way, the S. Korean government would want to ensure the safety citizens and navigation of S. Korean vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The year of 2019 was colored by Iran’s seizures on oil tankers. Therefore, Washington the world for help to join its maritime security coalition in the Strait of Hormuz. The invitation infuriated Iran even further. S. Korea, as the key ally of the U.S, agreed to send its forces to Strait of Hormuz. To divert the operation from Africa to Strait of Hormuz does not require parliamentary authorization.

Nonetheless, following its neighbor, Japan, S. Korea is not joining the U.S-led coalition. S. Korea obtained 70 percent of its oil from the Middle East, and the Strait of Hormuz is the busy passageway. S. Korean vessel sailed about 900 times a year in the Gulf.

However, since U.S economic sanctions on Tehran, S. Korea stopped importing Iranian crude oil.

Since 2009, S. Korean Cheonghae in cooperation with, the U.S, African nations, and European nations unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden to tackle piracy. Cheonghae had escorted 18,750 S. Korean and international vessels, per November 2018.

During the operation, Cheonghae liberated S. Korean ship and crews in 2011, shooting eight suspected pirates while capturing five in the said incident.

Source: https://bit.ly/2tCniF4

Politics , Maritime , Conflict , Military , Middle-East , Asia , S.Korea , Piracy , Iran , U.S , Global , International , Oil