South Korea and Japan collaborated in a joint maritime search and rescue exercise (SAREX) for the first time in almost a decade, as confirmed by the South Korean Navy. The exercise, held in international waters southeast of Jeju Island, involved the South Korean Navy’s ROKS Cheon Ja Bong landing ship, Japan’s Aegis-equipped Kongo destroyer, and a Japanese maritime patrol helicopter.
The biennial SAREX exercise, initiated in 1999, aims to enhance coordinated responses between naval ships from both countries during maritime incidents near the Korean Peninsula. Following a hiatus since 2017 due to strained relations over a previous incident, the two nations agreed to resume the drills during recent bilateral talks.
South Korea’s Defence Minister described the resumption of exercises as a significant step in bilateral relations, emphasizing the importance of such engagements. Japanese Defence Minister Koizumi highlighted the necessity of these meetings in addressing shared security challenges and promoting peace in the Indo-Pacific region through strategic cooperation.
