Navy chief encourages S. Korea's anti-piracy unit members in Oman

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Jung-soo has encouraged troops of the country's anti-piracy unit operating in waters off Africa during a trip to Oman, his office said Friday.

The 304-strong Cheonghae unit is currently docked at an Omani port after its operations were suspended for three weeks due to a cluster COVID-19 infection. It resumed operations last week.

Kim visited the port Wednesday (local time) to offer words of encouragement to the sailors aboard the unit's 4,500-ton destroyer Choi Young. He used a microphone to address them at a distance without boarding as part of precautionary measures.

Kim also met with high-ranking Omani military officials, including the chief of staff, and expressed gratitude for Oman's support to the Cheonghae unit, the Navy said.

In its latest group infection, the Cheonghae unit reported the first COVID-19 case on Jan. 27. Nearly 20 percent of its troops were infected with the virus although all of them had received booster shots.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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