South Korean troops will continue the missions of military units operating in waters off Somalia following the approval of extension by the cabinet in Seoul.
In a statement, the government of South Korea said 300-strong Cheonghae Unit to the Gulf of Aden who was deployed in 2009 will continue.
Cabinet members agreed to lengthen the troop dispatch by another year through Dec. 31, 2020, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Separately, around 140 Special Forces have been stationed in the UAE since January 2011 to assist in training local soldiers.
The 300-strong contingent operating the 4,400-ton destroyer, the Kang Gam Chan, is composed of special forces, including an Underwater Demolition Team, a Navy SEAL team, Marines and Navy pilots, aimed at protecting South Korean vessels off the Somali coast and providing support to ships of other nations in nearby waters.
Over the past decade, the unit had provided support for the safety of around 22,400 vessels and countered 21 pirate attacks as of end-July in treacherous waters, according to the Navy.
