[News Terms] 'Anti-Piracy Task Force' Commanded by the Republic of Korea Navy

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The 'Anti-Piracy Task Force' is a multinational coalition navy formed on January 1, 2009, to eradicate Somali pirates. Its official name is 'Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151).' As the name suggests, it is one of the four mobile units operated by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

CMF operates in one of the world's most important sea routes and the waters near the countries of 'The Horn of Africa,' working to maintain a safe maritime environment free of illegal activities such as drug trafficking, smuggling, pirate suppression, and promoting regional cooperation. CMF consists of four task forces: CTF 150 (maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf), CTF 151 (anti-piracy operations), CTF 152 (maritime security operations inside the Arabian Gulf), and CTF 153 (Red Sea maritime security operations).

Rear Admiral Ko Seung-beom of the Republic of Korea Navy (right) and Rear Admiral Nelson de Oliveira Leite of the Brazilian Navy (left) are transferring command on the 16th, watched by Captain Brad Cooper, Commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Naval Forces (center).
[Photo by CMF Twitter]

CMF includes participation from 38 countries and organizations, including the Republic of Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Bahrain, and Japan. As one of the task forces under CMF, CTF 151 is commanded by a U.S. Navy vice admiral who concurrently serves as the commander of the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet. All three commands are based in Bahrain. The commander of CTF 151 rotates among participating countries every 3 to 6 months, and the flagship is the vessel on which the commanding officer of the respective country is aboard.

On the 16th, Rear Admiral Ko Seung-beom (Korea Naval Academy Class 49) assumed command of CTF 151 at the Combined Naval Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. This marks the sixth time the Republic of Korea Navy has held the command of CTF 151, following Rear Admiral Lee Beom-rim in April 2010, Rear Admiral Jung An-ho in June 2012, Rear Admiral Cho Young-joo in June 2014, Rear Admiral Nam Dong-woo in July 2016, and Rear Admiral Yoo Byung-joo in June 2019.

Rear Admiral Ko stated, "As the commander of CTF 151, I will do my best to ensure the success of anti-piracy operations by closely cooperating with all related agencies," adding, "I will utilize the lessons accumulated by the Republic of Korea Navy during operations in the Gulf of Aden."