US and South Korea Launch Five-Day Joint Naval Drills to Boost Maritime Rescue Capabilities

The United States and South Korea have initiated a five-day bilateral naval exercise focused on improving joint search, rescue, and salvage operations at sea. The coordinated drill aims to enhance interoperability and readiness for both wartime emergencies and peacetime maritime incidents.

The training exercise, which began on Monday in the coastal waters near Changwon—located around 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul—features the South Korean Navy’s Gwangyang salvage and rescue ship alongside specialized units from the US Navy’s Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit.

During the drill, military personnel are conducting a series of complex rescue scenarios, including underwater search operations, diving bell deployment, and simulated shipwreck response. Scuba teams are also being trained to locate and recover missing personnel under challenging underwater conditions, reaching depths of up to 50 meters.

This joint exercise is designed to strengthen the operational synergy between the allied forces in maritime safety and crisis response. It reflects a broader commitment to regional stability and rapid response capability in the Indo-Pacific.

Additionally, the exercise is being observed by officials from South Korea’s Coast Guard and military representatives from the United Kingdom and Australia, highlighting growing international cooperation in maritime security.

This naval collaboration follows ongoing efforts by both Washington and Seoul to maintain strong defense coordination, particularly in response to evolving regional threats and increasing naval activity in strategic waters.