South Korean Navy to join multiple Indo-Pacific joint exercises
Seen above is the ROK Navy's Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship Marado at Jeju Naval Base, May 31, awaiting departure to participate in the biennial RIMPAC exercise. Courtesy of Navy
By Nam Hyun-woo
The Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy will participate in a number of multilateral joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific region in an apparent effort to strengthen trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.
News 1 reported Sunday that the ROK Navy was considering its participation in Pacific Vanguard 2022 exercise, a joint naval exercise between South Korea, the U.S., Japan and Australia. Since the exercise's commencement in 2019, the ROK Navy has been participating in the annual exercise to strengthen practical cooperation with the countries' maritime forces at sea.
During last year's exercise, which took place off the coast of Australia in July, the ROK Navy sent Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer Wang Geon, as well as more than 200 sailors.
The timeframe of this year's exercise is yet to be announced, but it is likely to take place in August, given the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) is scheduled for June 29 to Aug. 4. Maritime forces of Seoul and Tokyo will both participate in the world's largest maritime exercise.
The South Korean fleet departed for waters off the Hawaiian Islands on Dec. 31. The fleet includes the Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship Marado, destroyers Sejong the Great and Munmu the Great.
After RIMPAC, the ROK Navy is also anticipated to join the U.S. and Japan maritime forces for the biennial?Pacific Dragon exercise, which is focused on detecting, tracking and reporting ballistic missile launches and targets.
An official at the Ministry of National Defense said, “The military will participate in trilateral missile tracking exercise in affiliation with RIMPAC,” adding there is a growing necessity to conduct trilateral military drills regularly in order to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
South Korea's active participation in multilateral military exercises, which also involve Japan, is seen as a signal that the trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo is strengthening.
During the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, earlier this month, Seoul's defense minister Lee Jong-sup said that South Korea will seek to normalize security cooperation with Japan and also strengthen trilateral collaboration involving the U.S. to address the challenges posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats, adding that the country is open to serious talks with Tokyo.