By Basant El-Faramawy
South Korea plans to extend its anti-piracy naval operations closer to the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports. The move would bring South Korean forces nearer to the strategic waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil transit chokepoint, with about one-fifth of the world's petroleum passing through its narrow channels. South Korea has maintained anti-piracy patrols in the region since 2009, primarily operating in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
Details on the timeline, scope, and specific deployment plans for the expanded operations were not immediately available.
