[Opinion] RIMPAC Exercise

RIMPAC (Pacific Rim Exercise) is the largest joint maritime exercise in the world in which Pacific Rim nations participate biannually.

Participants, including the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia, are divided into the “Yellow Nation” and the “Green Nation,” practice anti-submarine warfare, air warfare, electronic warfare, air-ground-sea mobile warfare, naval gunnery, and missile firing exercises in almost real war-like situations.

The exercise’s main purpose was to enhance the interoperability between nations. However, it also has become a stage where all the participating nations compete on the ability of their naval forces. The Korean navy has participated since 1990.

The Korean navy has been getting high recognition during each exercise. One of the good examples was in 1998 when a type-209 mini submarine, “Yi Jongmu” sunk a total of 13 vessels, including a U.S nuclear powered submarine.

After the drill, a submarine commander of the U.S Pacific fleet sent a letter praising the Korean submarine, saying, “Your submarine accomplished an achievement incomparable in the 100-year tradition of U.S submarine history.”

The Korean navy surprised other countries by its state-of-art missile launching and naval gun firing skills in 2000 and 2002 as well.

This year, a 4,200-ton torpedo destroyer, “Chung Mu Gong Yi Sunshin” won another achievement by intercepting a flying medium-range missile target precisely. This means that the navy nicely succeeded in the first launch of the SM-2 missile, which was introduced two years ago.

This type of exercise is hard to conduct in the coastal water area due to safety concerns and the difficulties of building a proper drill field. In that respect, RIMPAC is an excellent educational opportunity for the Korean navy to leap from a costal navy to an oceanic navy.

We also hope this is a chance for the navy to cheer up after last month’s NLL (Northern Limit Line) incident in the West Sea, which weighed down its spirit.

Furthermore, if this news can serve as an opportunity for the Korean people to appreciate and support the navy more than before, it would be even better.

The Korean navy does not own high-tech naval vessels like its neighboring countries, yet they obtain excellent results every time they try.

We have to point out its mistakes, but aren’t we also supposed to praise its good works? Our support and attention will make a stronger military force.

Song Moon Hong, Editorial Writer, songmh@donga.com