Korea and Japan Resume Naval Search and Rescue Exercise After 9 Years

Korea-Japan Defense Ministers Meet in Yokosuka, Japan
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The Korea-Japan search and rescue exercise (SAREX) will resume for the first time in nine years. The Korea-Japan search and rescue exercise is a joint drill in which naval vessels from both countries practice coordinated procedures in response to maritime distress incidents near the Korean Peninsula.

Defense Minister An Kyu-baek is receiving an explanation about the ship from the crew aboard the US Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington on the morning of the 30th. Photo by Ministry of National Defense

On January 30, Defense Minister An Kyu-baek and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced in a joint press release following their defense ministerial meeting at the Maritime Self-Defense Force Headquarters in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (equivalent to Korea's Naval Operations Command), "The Republic of Korea Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force have agreed to conduct a search and rescue exercise for humanitarian purposes."

The search and rescue exercise involving the Republic of Korea Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force began in 1999 and was conducted biennially, but has not been held for about nine years since the tenth exercise in 2017. This was due to the suspension of defense cooperation between the two countries after a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel was unable to participate in the 2018 International Fleet Review in Jeju following controversy over the display of the Rising Sun Flag, and a subsequent dispute that year involving a "radar lock-on and low-altitude threatening flight" between a Republic of Korea Navy vessel and a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol aircraft.

The two countries initially planned to resume the search and rescue exercise in November last year, but the plan fell through when refueling support in Japan for the Republic of Korea Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team was canceled. At that time, Japan refused refueling support, citing the Black Eagles' training flights near Dokdo, and as a result, all Korea-Japan defense exchanges were suspended.

However, following a phone conversation between Minister An and Minister Koizumi on December 26, refueling support for the Black Eagles in Japan was arranged, creating an atmosphere for the resumption of Korea-Japan defense exchanges.

During their meeting, the two ministers agreed on the importance of steadily promoting Korea-Japan defense cooperation and exchanges. They decided to hold reciprocal visits and defense ministerial meetings annually and to strengthen communication between defense authorities. In addition, they agreed to initiate discussions between defense authorities to explore cooperation in advanced science and technology fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and space.