Seoul:South Korea's key anti-piracy unit, the Cheonghae Unit, is set to come under the tactical control of an on-scene commander in a limited capacity during a multinational security mission. This development comes as part of a motion to expand its operational scope, Seoul officials announced.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the defense ministry has submitted a revised motion to the National Assembly. This proposes expanding the Cheonghae Unit's operational area from the current waters off the Somali coast to regions south of Oman in the Arabian Sea, approximately 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz.

The motion outlines that during multinational maritime security missions, the unit will fall under the "tactical control" of an on-scene commander, which may be led by the U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) or the European Union. Tactical control is defined as a limited authority for military force or tactical use of combat support within the mission's scope.

Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna stated in a press briefing that this tactical control is "very restricted" and can only be exercised temporarily in specific regions. The motion also introduces a new clause allowing the unit to participate in global efforts to secure international maritime pathways, raising speculation about possible South Korean involvement in the Hormuz situation.

Despite this potential expansion, the motion maintains that the chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff holds command authority. The unit's operational area remains limited to the Gulf of Aden and waters south of Oman. The ministry emphasizes that the expansion is solely to protect Korean vessels and citizens from piracy, not to contribute to any military operations against Iran.