S. Korean Navy to Join Multinational Indo-Pacific Humanitarian Exercise

The South Korean Navy will participate in an annual multinational humanitarian assistance exercise in the Indo-Pacific later this month to sharpen combined operational capabilities, the armed service said Wednesday.South Korea's News Agency (Yonhap) said that it plans to send its Cheonjabong landing ship as well as 180 personnel, including Marines, to the Pacific Partnership exercise, which began on Aug. 9 and will run through Nov. 21.Its contingent is set to join parts of the exercise in the Philippines and Malaysia from Aug. 21-Sept. 16."The exercise is a good opportunity to improve capabilities for humanitarian assistance and disaster responses in cooperation with multinational forces, and enhance military cooperation with the participating countries," a Korean Navy official said.The exercise involves personnel from South Korea, the United States, Australia, Britain, Japan and New Zealand. It was launched in 2004 as part of an effort to overcome the damage wrought by a tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia.