U.S. Praises South Korean Navy's Command Capability Ahead of RIMPAC's End, Calling It a "Historic Milestone"

[Financial News] As the world's largest maritime multinational exercise, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), nears its end later this month, the United States praised South Korea's command capabilities. South Korea took on a multinational command role at RIMPAC for the first time this year.
According to briefing materials released on the State Department's website on the 29th local time, Jeffrey Jablon, deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and commander of the RIMPAC Combined Task Force, held a virtual press conference that day. He emphasized that "South Korea commanded the Combined Maritime Component Command for the first time" at this year's RIMPAC. He said this division of roles "shows the capabilities of our partners and our shared responsibility, while also showing that this exercise is moving toward stronger multinational training and readiness in the future."
Jablon described South Korea's leadership during the exercise as a "historic milestone." He said, "Because the structure allowed South Korea, Chile, Canada, and Japan to take key command roles, we were able to operate as a cohesive and capable team from day one."
He added that "this level of integration demonstrates asymmetric advantage, meaning interoperability with allies and partners that adversaries cannot match," and that it "reinforces our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
It is the fourth time in RIMPAC history, and the first time for an Asian country, that a nation other than the United States has served as commander of the Combined Maritime Component Command, one of the exercise's key posts.
This year's RIMPAC runs from June 24 through July 31 and includes a large contingent of South Korea's latest naval assets, including the 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer ROKS Jeongjo the Great, the 3,000-ton submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, and the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Rear Adm. Kim In-ho, who served as commander of the Combined Maritime Component Command, said in a virtual press conference that "the South Korean Navy continues to strengthen its ability to conduct combined operations through its participation in RIMPAC." He added that the role as maritime strategy commander was a valuable opportunity to improve the Navy's capabilities. He also said, "I believe the South Korean Navy has successfully met the responsibilities and expectations placed upon it."
Meanwhile, when asked whether the exercise was related to tensions involving Taiwan and China, Jablon replied that "RIMPAC is not an exercise meant to send a signal to any specific country, but rather a drill to improve the readiness of all participating nations."
 

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