Seoul is expected to deploy its Cheonjabong landing ship and 180-strong personnel, including marines, in the Pacific Partnership 2023 drills, the agency said. The exercises, led by the US Pacific Fleet, started on August 9 and will continue through November 21, with troops from Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan and New Zealand also taking part.
The South Korean contingent is expected to join parts of the drills, which will take place from August 21 to September 16 in the Philippines and Malaysia, the media added.
Since 2007, South Korea has mainly sent medical staff to the drills. This year, however, it plans to send the landing ship, accompanied by engineering personnel and civilian experts with the aim of building capacity in disaster relief and humanitarian aid, the news agency reported, citing the navy.
"The exercise is a good opportunity to improve capabilities for humanitarian assistance and disaster response in cooperation with multinational forces, and enhance military cooperation with the participating countries," the media quoted a navy official as saying.
Media added that from August 21-31, the South Korean personnel will participate in the drill in the Philippines where they will help build a local school and take part in training on treating and transporting patients, as well as on responding to infectious animal diseases. Later, from September 5-16, the contingent will engage in the drills in Malaysia to practice setting up a field hospital, treating combat casualties and responding to a natural disaster, the official said.
The Pacific Partnership exercises were launched in 2004 as a part of an effort to cope with the damage from a tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia.