ⓒYONHAP News

The South Korean destroyer, the Gang Gam-chan, departed the southern port city of Busan at 2 p.m. Tuesday, carrying some 300 troops. 

According to the Navy, the four-thousand 400-ton destroyer will engage in anti-piracy missions and protect South Korean vessels for six months while also providing support to ships of other nations off the coast of Somalia, taking over the mission from the 29th deployment of the warship Dae Jo-yeong.

The Gang Gam-chan comprises Special Forces, including an Underwater Demolition Team, a Navy SEAL team, Marines and Navy pilots. 

A deployment ceremony was held at the naval operations base at 10 a.m. and was participated in by families of the troops.

This comes amid speculation that the unit may head to the Middle East if Seoul decides to join the Washington-led coalition to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials had said that U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper asked for South Korea to play a role in the coalition during talks with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo in Seoul last week, but the ministry clarified it was not a formal request.

Iran, meanwhile, is clear that it does not want South Korea to participate in the coalition.

An official at the Navy said there is nothing to comment on regarding the issue since no decision has been made.