South Korea to expand operations of its anti-piracy unit closer to Strait of Hormuz

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that it has decided to extend the operational area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit closer to the Strait of Hormuz, public broadcaster KBS reported.

The expansion will also involve the deployment of additional military assets to the region.

It will add 75 personnel to the unit, bringing its total strength to 395, Yonhap News Agency reported.

For several months, Seoul has maintained that it was reviewing the possibility of deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz. However, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ruled out sending combat troops, stressing that the country would not deploy military personnel in a way that could draw it into an overseas conflict.

The ministry said Thursday that it is planning to “seek Cabinet review and presidential approval for the move before submitting a related motion to the National Assembly.”

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Source of information: Global News Agencies including REUTERS / TASS / AFP / ANADOLU / INT.RU / Al Jazeera / CNN