[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Will the Cheonghae Unit Be Deployed for a Rescue Operation?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Cheonghae Unit's Choi Young-class destroyer (4,400 tons) has arrived near the Strait of Hormuz, drawing attention to whether a rescue operation will be executed. It was dispatched in response to the seizure of a South Korean-flagged chemical tanker by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, but if the safety of our citizens is threatened, the execution of an operation cannot be ruled out.

A government official said, "To protect the safety of our citizens, diplomatic negotiations through diplomatic channels take precedence over military actions," adding, "We have confirmed the safety of the crew and are requesting the early release of the vessel from the Iranian side."

The Cheonghae Unit was dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz area to conduct independent operations. The deployment area of the Cheonghae Unit has expanded from the Gulf of Aden to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf), carrying out missions to protect citizens and vessels under the command of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. This is a form of 'independent dispatch' that does not participate in the IMSC (International Maritime Security Construct - Hormuz Security Coalition) desired by the United States. Japan is doing the same. Japan has decided to dispatch one escort ship of the Maritime Self-Defense Force and one P-3C patrol aircraft (with about 260 personnel) to the Middle East without participating in the escort coalition.

However, if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz as retaliation for U.S. economic sanctions, diplomatic negotiations could become complicated. Inside and around the Strait of Hormuz, since early May 2019, a series of adverse events have occurred, starting with the U.S. military's deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and bomber squadron, followed by attacks on four oil tankers (May 12), attacks on two oil tankers (June 12), the downing of a U.S. military drone (June 20), and the seizure of Iranian oil tankers (July 14). Analysts say the atmosphere has become as hostile as during the mid-1980s Iran-Iraq War, known as the 'Tanker War,' when oil tankers in the Gulf were targeted.

If the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the U.S. could mobilize allies to form a 'Hormuz Security Coalition.' Two B-52 strategic bombers, representative of the U.S., flew sorties over the Gulf last December, demonstrating the U.S.'s long-range operational capabilities. Subsequently, a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the oil transport route of the Persian Gulf. The U.S.'s continued show of force is interpreted as an effort to increase military deterrence as the first anniversary of the death of former commander Qasem Soleimani approaches. Soleimani, a powerful figure in Iran's military and considered second only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in early January last year by a U.S. armed drone strike while visiting Iraq.

If the situation with Iran worsens, the U.S. may request our military to join the 'Hormuz Security Coalition.' Alternatively, our military may seek assistance from the coalition to rescue detained nationals. However, our military maintains that, unlike the Dawn of Aden operation against pirates, careful decisions must be made. The Iranian elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is part of the regular military. Conducting a rescue operation against a regular military force would inevitably lead to inter-state conflict.

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