South Korea Military Mission to Protect Commercial Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz (China and Japan Fiddle)
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
East Asian nations rely heavily on international energy markets and the uninterrupted movement of commercial shipping. Yet, during the conflict between America and Iran, major East Asian powers appear increasingly beholden to the actions of Tehran. Israel has maintained a relatively low profile in recent months, despite renewed speculation about a possible military strike against Iran. However, South Korea is finally demonstrating that patience in East Asia is wearing thin over the diktats of Iran and its Houthi proxies in Yemen. Therefore, China and Japan need to ask themselves why they remain so meek towards Iran in West Asia (the Middle East).
After all, attacks on international commercial shipping by Iran and the Houthis violate fundamental principles of international law and freedom of navigation. If America and Iran attack each other’s military capabilities, this is a different matter, provided such operations comply with the laws governing armed conflict. Of course, Gulf powers may view the situation differently because their infrastructure, outside American military bases, continues to face the wrath of Iran. Saudi Arabia also faces the additional threat posed by the Houthis, given the ongoing regional ramifications of events in Yemen.
Indeed, given geopolitical tensions in East Asia, the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthi threat in Yemen presents an opportunity for China, Japan, and South Korea to work together against Iran’s increasingly disruptive regional behaviour. The Houthi dimension is different because this movement is widely designated as a terrorist organization by several governments and is associated with sectarian politics. However, Iran is a sovereign nation state whose leaders should know better than to engage in actions that increasingly resemble maritime piracy and the intimidation of international commerce.
Yet, South Korea is the only major East Asian power presently demonstrating a willingness to step up against the diktats of Iran in West Asia. Accordingly, China and Japan should take a good look at themselves. After all, China, Japan, and South Korea rely to varying degrees on energy supplies from West Asia. Japan is the most heavily reliant, while China enjoys greater resilience through its substantial energy relationships with the Russian Federation and Central Asian nations. China receives significant supplies of natural gas, crude oil, and thermal and coking coal through its wider Eurasian energy networks. However, if China genuinely seeks to become a leading world power, it must also demonstrate a willingness to help protect important international sea lanes from being threatened or strangled by negative actors such as Iran.
According to The Guardian, approximately 70% of South Korea’s oil imports come through West Asia, with the Strait of Hormuz representing a particularly important strategic passage.
A Defense Ministry official of South Korea said: “The enhancement of the Cheonghae unit’s mission is to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests.”
The official continued: “Operations will remain restricted to the open waters south of Oman, and the maritime patrol aircraft will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory, territorial waters or the interior of the strait of Hormuz during their missions.”
South Korea is stepping up by expanding its military presence to help safeguard the free movement of commercial shipping in the wider Strait of Hormuz region. The political leadership in Seoul has made it abundantly clear that it opposes military intervention in the conflict between America and Iran. However, South Korea also has an obligation to protect important shipping and energy routes that depend on the strategic waterway. Hence, the objective is to help maintain freedom of navigation without becoming a combatant in the wider confrontation. Naturally, this also provides support for American efforts to protect international shipping and may ease some of the pressure from Washington, where considerable dismay persists over the lack of international support and condemnation of Iran’s actions.
The Guardian reports: “The government is to submit a motion to parliament that would expand the Cheonghae unit’s area of operation to waters near the port of Duqm in Oman, which is about 650km (403 miles).” However, given the stated position of South Korea’s leadership and military, parliamentary approval is widely expected.
Yonhap News Agency, as reported by France 24, stated that South Korea’s proposed contribution would involve a military destroyer, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team, unmanned surface vessels, unmanned underwater vehicles, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for underwater exploration. These additional assets also provide South Korea with the capacity to prepare for potential future mine-clearing operations, should conditions permit international cooperation to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
China and Japan can talk about being regional powers, while China’s ambitions extend considerably further. Yet, despite its military capabilities, Beijing’s regional posture is often complicated by tensions in the South China Sea and along its border with India. Meanwhile, Japan remains a major economic and technological power with considerable maritime interests. However, when their energy security and commercial shipping routes are threatened by Iran, their apparent reluctance to respond collectively makes them look like “Paper Tigers.”
Yes, nobody expects China or Japan, similarly to South Korea, to involve themselves in the military confrontation between America and Iran. However, tolerating a situation in which Iran and the Houthis threaten international energy routes and attack commercial tankers and other vessels, without demonstrating a meaningful collective response, is an entirely different matter.
The Houthis are a terrorist and sectarian outfit in Yemen. However, this designation does not apply to the government of Iran. Accordingly, it is high time for East Asian nations to work in tandem on important issues concerning the protection of international commercial shipping and freedom of navigation. They should not allow their economic interests to be held hostage by a regional power whose actions threaten the established norms governing international maritime commerce and the laws of armed conflict.
South Korea is stepping up while remaining opposed to military intervention in the conflict between America and Iran. This is an important distinction. China and Japan should take note. East Asia has legitimate economic, strategic, and diplomatic interests in West Asia, and protecting these interests should transcend the political differences that continue to divide the region.
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