The South Korean Navy will send an amphibious assault ship and 180 personnel to the US-led international humanitarian exercise in the Indo-Pacific between August 21 and September 16 to strengthen cooperation with participating countries in both humanitarian and military fields.
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It is reported that South Korea will send the amphibious assault ship Cheongwangbong and 180 personnel, including marines, to the Pacific Partnership 2023 exercise, which began on August 9 and will last until November 21. They are conducted by the US Pacific Fleet with the participation of Australia, Great Britain, Japan and New Zealand, South Korea.
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The South Korean contingent will join the part of the exercise that will take place in the Philippines and Malaysia from August 21 to September 16.
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The exercise was launched in 2004 as part of a tsunami relief effort in South and Southeast Asia.
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Since 2007, South Korea has sent mainly medical personnel to the exercises, the Navy said. But this year, it is the warship that will be sent, as well as engineering personnel and civilian experts, to strengthen the ability to respond to natural disasters and provide humanitarian assistance.
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“This is a good opportunity to improve the ability to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster response in cooperation with the multinational force, as well as strengthen military cooperation with participating countries,” the South Korean Navy said in a statement.
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It is reported that from August 21 to 31, South Korean personnel will take part in exercises in the Philippines, where they will assist in the construction of a local school and participate in exercises on treatment and transportation of patients, and response to infectious animal diseases.
