At the end of this month, while the Ministry of National Defense is hosting a multilateral maritime interdiction exercise on the high seas of Jeju, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop is expected to receive a salute from Japanese warships participating in the exercise. Controversy is expected as Japanese warships are scheduled to come with a self-defense flag similar to the Rising Sun Flag.
The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 24th that it will host the PSI Maritime Interdiction Exercise (Eastern Endeavor 23), which will be held as an opportunity to hold a high-level meeting on the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) on the high seas in the southeast of Jeju on the 31st.
Following the 2010 and 2012 trainings, this is the third exercise conducted by Korea, and forces and personnel from Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and Canada will participate. It plans to conduct drills to block ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and to search them on board.
At the training site, high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, and representatives from countries participating in the PSI high-level meeting will board the Marado and observe the maritime interdiction exercise. After the drill, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop conducts a naval review of the Marado, Wanggeon, Milius, Hamagiri, Anzac, and 5002 ships in that order.
During this process, the crew of the Japanese ship Hamagiri will salute Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop while wearing the flag of the Self-Defense Forces. The flag of the Self-Defense Forces continues to be controversial in Korea due to its pattern similar to the Rising Sun Flag.
Regarding this, an official from the Ministry of National Defense said, “It is a custom of international law, etiquette between warships.” In fact, Japanese Self-Defense Forces participated in maritime interdiction drills hosted by Korea twice in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, there was a case in which a vessel of the Maritime Self-Defense Force entered Busan Port to participate in a maritime interdiction exercise.
The Ministry of National Defense promoted this exercise with the purpose of strengthening the mutual cooperation system of participating countries and cultivating combined maritime interdiction capabilities. Assuming a hypothetical scenario, actual forces such as ships, aircraft, and search teams will participate in the training.
Specifically, 7 Korean, American, Japanese and Australian ships, 6 aircraft, and 6 special lease teams will participate in the exercise. About 20 people from 6 countries including Korea, USA, Japan, Australia, Singapore and Canada will be dispatched to the multinational cooperation headquarters to carry out the mission.
A high-ranking military official said, “The PSI maritime interdiction exercise will contribute to the implementation of the government’s Indo-Pacific strategy by leading international cooperation to strengthen the ability to intercept weapons of mass destruction and related materials and strengthening non-proliferation cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.”
All forces participating in this drill are scheduled to enter Busan Port in advance on the 29th for a pre-meeting, communication network inspection, and anchoring training. As a result, the ships of the four countries participating in the training, including Korea, the United States, Japan, and Australia, will dock at Busan Port to make full preparation for training through preparations and pre-rehearsals related to the training.
An official from the Ministry of National Defense predicted, “It is a meaningful training in which a high-level meeting and maritime interception drill are simultaneously held for the first time since the launch of the PSI.”
“In preparation for the past exercises, the number of countries participating in the exercises has been expanded and the implementation methods have been differentiated, such as the operation of a multinational cooperation headquarters,” he said. “It is expected to greatly contribute to strengthening international cooperation among PSI members.”
Source: Donga
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