Cheonghae Unit 32nd Daegyoeng Ship Departure

The photo shows the Wang Geon ship departing from the Busan Naval Operations Command to the Strait of Hormuz area. [Provided by Naval Operations Command] [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The Cheonghae Unit 32nd deployment, the Dae Jo-yeong-class destroyer (4,400 tons), will set sail from the Busan Naval Operations Base at 11 a.m. on the 11th. The Cheonghae Unit is scheduled to carry out anti-piracy missions near the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Africa.

According to the Navy on the 11th, the Dae Jo-yeong-class destroyer will relieve the Cheonghae Unit 31st deployment Wang Geon-class destroyer next month and carry out its mission for about six months until November.

The crew has maintained a state of readiness on the ship since the 25th of last month, 16 days before departure. The Cheonghae Unit 32nd deployment consists of about 300 personnel, including the crew of the Dae Jo-yeong-class destroyer, a special operations (UDT) inspection team, and an aviation unit operating maritime patrol helicopters. Among them, about 90 personnel, accounting for 30%, have previous deployment experience with the Cheonghae Unit.

The Cheonghae Unit participates in maritime security operations led by the Combined Maritime Forces' Counter-Piracy Task Force 151 (CTF-151), including ship escort operations and safe navigation support, as well as the European Union (EU) Naval Force Somalia Operation ATALANTA.

Following the government's decision in January this year to temporarily expand the Cheonghae Unit's deployment area, the unit will perform protection missions not only in the Gulf of Aden but also in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian/Persian Gulf regions.

The Dae Jo-yeong-class destroyer has carried out six deployment missions so far, starting with the Cheonghae Unit 2nd deployment in 2009, followed by the 9th, 17th, 24th, 29th, and now the 32nd deployment.

Since its establishment on March 3, 2009, the Cheonghae Unit has escorted and supported the safe navigation of over 23,550 vessels (cumulative up to the 30th deployment).

Considering the vulnerability of ships to secondary infections of COVID-19, the Cheonghae Unit implemented high-intensity preventive measures. All personnel tested negative in PCR tests conducted on the 25th of last month and the 7th of this month. The unit secured quarantine supplies such as masks, hand sanitizers, diagnostic kits, and protective suits, and established response plans for potential COVID-19 symptomatic cases.

The farewell ceremony for the 32nd deployment will be held internally without inviting family members or outsiders to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and block its entry into the military. At departure, key commanders including the Naval Operations Commander and military band personnel will line up at the pier.

Colonel Lim Byung-hwan, commander of the 32nd deployment, said, "All personnel have united as one to prepare for deployment to continue the tradition of the Cheonghae Unit," adding, "As national representatives in uniform, we will carry out our mission perfectly with a strong sense of duty and responsibility."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.