Home > National > Defense

Korea to command naval forces in Rimpac exercise for 1st time

Published: 30 Apr. 2026, 16:20

The ROKS Yulgok Yi, which will join the upcoming 2012 Rim of the Pacific exercise, as photographed on June 7, 2024 [REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY]

Korea will command naval forces of multinational countries for the first time during a U.S.-led combined maritime exercise scheduled for later this year, the Navy said Thursday.

An admiral of the Korean Navy will take on the role of commanding the combined maritime component forces of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (Rimpac), set to take place in and around Hawaii from June 24 to July 31.

It marks the first time for Korea to take command of the maritime component forces in the Rimpac exercise. In the previous drill in 2024, Korea took on a deputy commander position.

The U.S. Third Fleet has also announced Korea's role for this year's exercise, with Canada commanding the air component.

Launched in 1971, the biennial Rimpac is designed to enhance cooperation among participating countries in securing sea lines of communication and countering potential security challenges at sea. Korea joined Rimpac in 1990.

This year, the exercise will feature a multinational force involving more than 25,000 personnel, about 40 surface ships, five submarines and 140 aircraft, according to the U.S. Third Fleet's website.

Korea is expected to deploy its Jeongjo the Great Aegis destroyer, P-9 maritime patrol aircraft and the 3,000-ton Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine for the exercise.

Yonhap