The Republic of Korea Navy's Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin-class destroyer Wang Geon (DDH-II, 4,400 tons) will depart Wednesday to relieve the 48th Cheonghae Unit conducting operations in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.
The Navy said it will hold a send-off ceremony for the 48th Cheonghae Unit (Somalia Sea Escort Task Group) aboard the Wang Geon at the Busan Naval Operations Base on Wednesday afternoon.
The 48th Cheonghae Unit comprises about 260 personnel, including the Wang Geon's crew and task group headquarters staff, a boarding inspection team made up of special warfare operators (UDT/SEAL), an aviation unit operating a Lynx maritime operations helicopter, and a support team consisting of marines and medical and maintenance personnel.
About 80 service members, or roughly 30 percent of the total force, have prior experience serving with the Cheonghae Unit, the Navy said.
During its deployment, the 48th Cheonghae Unit will conduct counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden region, supporting the safe escort and navigation of vessels. The unit will protect Korean nationals in emergencies and participate in maritime security operations led by the Combined Maritime Forces and the EU Naval Force Somalia.
If the government decides to join U.S.-proposed military cooperation efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, including the "Maritime Freedom Initiative," the Cheonghae Unit could expand its operational scope to the Strait of Hormuz, subject to ratification by the National Assembly.
In line with this, the 48th Cheonghae Unit has reinforced its counter-drone defense system to prepare against suicide drones frequently deployed in the Iran war.
A Navy official said the counter-drone reinforcement "is not aimed at deployment to the Strait of Hormuz but is intended to prepare for various threats that may arise during the mission."
The Cheonghae Unit takes about three to four weeks to reach the Gulf of Aden and is scheduled to relieve the 47th unit sometime next month.
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul said in his address, "The Cheonghae Unit symbolizes the strong naval power of the Republic of Korea and is a living history that proves Korea is fulfilling its role as a globally responsible power."
