Iran media wary of S. Korea's naval expansion; military vows no war involvement

Iranian media have expressed wariness as South Korea moves to expand the operating zone of its Cheonghae Unit to waters south of Oman, closer to the Strait of Hormuz, and to deploy additional maritime patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said the Cheonghae Unit will under no circumstances become involved in the war, and that maritime patrol aircraft will be restricted from detecting activity inside Iranian territory, Iranian territorial waters or the inner portion of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian semi-official outlet Tabnak ran an article Thursday (local time) headlined "What is South Korea after near the Strait of Hormuz?" The semi-official Fars News Agency and the conservative Mashregh News both questioned Seoul's intentions behind the Cheonghae Unit expansion, using the phrase "under the pretext of combating piracy."

Mashregh News said South Korea's military presence in waters around the Strait of Hormuz would in effect expand. It also detailed plans to reinforce the Cheonghae Unit with P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned minesweeping assets, and to deploy an additional EOD team.

The semi-official ISNA news agency said South Korea "claims" the mission is non-combat in nature. Even Seoul's assurances that the unit would operate under an independent South Korean chain of command — not US command — and that patrol aircraft would not surveil Iranian territory, territorial waters or the interior of the Strait of Hormuz were attributed to "claims by a South Korean Defense Ministry official."

ISNA particularly highlighted Seoul's explanation that the measures were intended to prepare for potential participation in future mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz. It also noted that the Iranian government had already warned against the possibility of South Korea deploying military assets near the strait.

The Defense Ministry's Cheonghae Unit expansion plan bears clear signs of an effort to balance minimizing friction with Iran against finding ways to indirectly contribute to security in the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States has requested. Analysts also noted that the ministry appeared mindful of opposition from progressive lawmakers within the ruling camp in the National Assembly.

A Defense Ministry official said earlier that "the Cheonghae Unit expansion and reinforcement plan is aimed at protecting South Korean nationals and economic interests, and will be limited to non-combat missions," adding that "the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will handle explanations to the United States and Iran, and will provide sufficient clarification regarding any misunderstandings that may arise during the additional deployment process." The official also said the ministry would "make every effort to ensure Iran does not indiscriminately criticize or target South Korea."

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, speaking to reporters Thursday, declined to specify which diplomatic channels were being used but said, in connection with the Cheonghae Unit expansion plan, that Seoul was "in continuous communication with Iran and other relevant countries" and that "there are various diplomatic channels, and we are communicating with Iran through them on this matter as well."