Seoul says it will deploy its navy near the Strait of Hormuz to help keep it open

South Korea's Defense Ministry announced Thursday that it will deploy a maritime patrol aircraft and a mine clearance team near the Strait of Hormuz as part of a mission to help ensure traffic flow in the strategic sea lane.

The ministry also confirmed that the South Korean government had decided to expand the area of ​​operations of its navy's Cheonghae anti-piracy unit, which monitors the waters south of the Sultanate of Oman near the strait.