United States, Republic of Korea and Japanese Naval Exercises Announced

The United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan will conduct a two-day, trilateral naval exercise June 21 - 22 in the waters south of the Korean peninsula.

The exercise will focus on improving interoperability and communications with the ROK Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, which can facilitate cooperative disaster relief and maritime security activities in the future. The three navies will conduct this exercise beyond the territorial waters of any coastal nation.

The United States will then conduct a routine carrier operation with the ROK Navy in the Yellow Sea immediately after the trilateral exercise June 23 - 25.

The George Washington Carrier Strike Group will make a port call in Busan, South Korea, after completing the two exercises.

U.S., South Korea Announce Yellow Sea Exercise

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - The United States and South Korea announced a new set of military exercises that will be held in the Yellow Sea early next month, a Pentagon official said here today.

South Korean and U.S. forces will participate in anti-submarine warfare exercises. It is too early to detail what surface ships, submarines and air units will participate, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

The exercise is a direct outgrowth of a North Korean submarine sinking the South Korean frigate Cheonan in March. The attack killed 46 South Korean sailors.

In the "2-plus-2" meetings held in the South Korean capital of Seoul last month, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and Defense Minister Defense Kim Tae-young met with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to discuss ways to demonstrate to North Korea the solidarity of the American alliance with South Korea.

"We said we would continue a series of exercises – defensive in nature – that are designed to send a clear message to North Korea," Whitman said.

The exercise, to be conducted in international waters, will focus on anti-submarine warfare tactics, techniques and procedures. "It will be conducted in the waters off the western coast of South Korea," Whitman said. "This exercise is designed to improve the readiness and proficiency of U.S. and [South Korean] forces to defend against subsurface attacks."

As it builds on an already strong foundation of interoperability and flexibility, Whitman said, the exercise will strengthen the U.S.-South Korean alliance. "Broadly, what it does is reinforce our resolve to stability and security of the region," he added.

China has objected to U.S. exercises in the Yellow Sea, though the United States military has exercised there for decades.

"China has no reason to view this exercise or this series of exercises as a threat to its security," Whitman said. "These exercises are intended to deter North Korea from future destabilizing attacks such as occurred with Cheonan and assure the region of [U.S. and South Korean] resolve to maintain security and stability on the Korean peninsula."

Chinese Vessels Approach Sealift Command Ship in Yellow Sea

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chinese fishing vessels closed in on and maneuvered near the USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19) in international waters in the Yellow Sea on May 1, Pentagon officials announced.

The Victorious is one of the five ocean surveillance ships that are part of the 25 ships in Military Sealift Command's Special Mission Ships Program.

The vessel was conducting routine operations 170 miles off the coast of China when two Chinese fishing vessels approached, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
"This was an incident where a couple of Chinese fishing vessels maneuvered close to the Victorious in what was an unsafe manner," Whitman said.

The Victorious took defensive measures as the vessels got close. The Victorious crew sounded the ship's danger alarms and manned fire hoses. They sprayed water at the Chinese vessels, but did not hit them, officials said.

The Victorious requested the assistance of a nearby Chinese government vessel, at which time the fishing vessels departed, Whitman said.

He did not comment on the motive of the Chinese vessels. "That requires you to get inside the heads of the mariners out there," he said. "What is clear is that it is unsafe and dangerous behavior, and it needs to be addressed. We do not want the mariners of any of the vessels out there in jeopardy."

One Chinese vessel approached within 30 yards of the Victorious, officials said. "They are clearly demonstrating unsafe seamanship," Whitman said. "As we have in previous incidents, we'll be developing a way forward to deal with this diplomatically."

On March 8, five Chinese vessels surrounded the USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS-23) as it was conducting operations 80 nautical miles off Hainan Island. There have been other incidents where Chinese vessels operated in an unsafe manner around U.S. ocean surveillance ships.

"It's in everybody's interest to ensure that safe procedures on the seas are followed," Whitman said. "This was clearly well into international waters."

Military vessels are not subject to coastal state jurisdiction and do not require the prior consent of the coastal state for activity in the exclusive economic zone.