South Korean and US Naval Exercise Postponed

The South Korean (ROK) joint naval exercise with the US Navy, originally scheduled for 5-9 September, has been postponed due to an approaching tropical storm, a spokesman for South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff has said.

“There will be no exercise due to the nearing Typhoon Malou, and we will soon announce a new date to start the drill,” he said.

Typhoon Malou was expected to hit the Korean peninsula on 6 September, with warnings of strong winds and high waves, a South Korean weather forecaster said.

Participating units from the US Navy included the guided missile destroyers USS Curtis D Wilbur (DDG 54) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), ocean surveillance ship USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19), a fast attack submarine and a P-3C Orion aircraft.

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The ROK Navy’s participating units included two destroyers, a fast frigate, a patrol craft, P-3C aircraft and a submarine with a total of 1,700 personnel from the two countries, according to Agence France-Presse.

The aim of the exercise was to enhance interoperability and improve anti-submarine warfare capabilities to send a clear message of deterrence to North Korea.