Korean Assessment Team Returns from Middle East, Naval Deployment is Not Likely
Here is what is being section what Korea will do with any possible deployment to the Middle East:
Local news reports have speculated on the potential list of military assets for deployment, including the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, a logistics support ship and explosive ordnance disposal teams — mainly non-combat assets.
However, the naval logistics support vessel has reportedly been ruled out as its operation would require dispatching more than 100 sailors.
The assessment team likely visited the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, home to a primary U.S. military installation in the UAE, to check operational conditions for the potential P-8A deployment.
Sending an assessment team to a candidate deployment site is part of the required procedures under the defense ministry’s directives on overseas military deployment. Upon return, the team is obliged to report the result of the mission to the National Security Council.
The defense ministry, however, has stressed that the team’s dispatch does not mean the deployment will follow, saying that its purpose was strictly to assess the security environment and safety conditions near the strait.
You can read more at the link, but I still think counter-drone and missile defense in support of UAE is play here.
The ruling party and the Korean public do not like Trump which makes it politically difficult to do this deployment in support of Trump. Instead frame it as a request for defensive assistance from the UAE, a long time strategic partner of the ROK. President Lee should not even bring Trump’s name up when discussing this deployment in order to sell it to the Korean public.
