Korea's Participation in the Rim of the Pacific and It's Future Development

한국의 환태평양연합훈련 참여와 발전방향

Participation of ROK navy in the Rim of the Pacific(RIMPAC) in likely to stimulate rethinking of Korea's defense role in Northeast Asia. Although the RIMPAC exercise was originally maneuvers to improve combat techniques in ASW, anti-aircraft combat. ocean supply support. surface combat. and electronics warfare. it will be finally be directed to ward securing the SLOC connecting the US, Canada. Australia and the Far East. Based on this concept, my conclusion is that two future arrangements are possible for the security of the Korean peninsula and protecting the SLOC in the combined defense of the Pacific. One is the naval cooperation between ROK and Japan. the other is the Standing Naval Force Pacific(STANAVFORPAC) The concepts of the Naval Cooperation between ROK and Japan and the STANAVFORPAC is whose time has come. The leaders, policymakers, and planners of the countries concerned need to consider such a move seriously.