Cheonghae Unit would answer to on-site commander in multinational operations near Hormuz

Seoul’s anti-piracy unit could take tactical orders from coalition commanders should it participate in international maritime security operations

Members of the Cheonghae Unit’s 48th contingent attend a send-off ceremony before the ROKS Wang Geon departs Busan Naval Base in May 2026. (Yonhap)

With the South Korean Navy’s Cheonghae Unit currently planning to expand the scope of its operations to areas south of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, it has been revealed that it would take tactical orders from a local commander rather than the chairman of Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff if it joins other countries in international maritime security operations.

The terms in question were included in a ratification plan submitted by the administration to the National Assembly on Tuesday to amend the extension of the deployment of armed forces units to the Gulf of Aden near Somalia and the open seas south of Oman.

While the motion lays out that Korea’s military “will retain command of the unit, while the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will exercise operational control over its missions to escort Korean vessels,” it also specifies that “should it participate in an international maritime security operation such as those run by the Combined Maritime Forces or the EU, a local commander will exercise operational control.”

While the same language was present in the motion for an extension of deployment that the administration submitted last year, this year’s motion includes language about “participating in international efforts to ensure the safety of international sea lanes and restore the freedom of navigation” in addition to its existing missions. 

This has led to concerns that the unit could fall under the operational control of a foreign commander and become involved in the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The revised motion extends the Cheonghae Unit’s deployment from the date of parliamentary approval through Dec. 31 next year. It also adds one maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned mine-countermeasure systems — including unmanned surface and underwater vehicles and drones — to the existing destroyer, raising the authorized troop strength to up to 395. 

The deployment budget will increase to approximately 37.4 billion won this year and 40.5 billion won next year.