S. Korea, New Zealand begin joint naval drill in East Sea

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, April 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and New Zealand kicked off a biennial
joint anti-submarine exercise in the East Sea on Friday, mobilizing a pair of
maritime surveillance aircraft and a submarine, the South Korean Navy said in a
statement.
The six-day exercise focuses on the abilities of the two countries' naval forces
to track and destroy enemy submarines by deploying long-range aircraft, the
statement said.
South Korea has mobilized a 1,200-ton submarine for the exercise, said the
statement, as New Zealand does not operate one. Each country has also deployed a
turboprop P-3 aircraft with submarine detection sensors and weapons systems, it
noted.
First organized in 1996, the exercise this year involves a crew of 33 from New
Zealand.
"The exercise will help share knowhow in anti-submarine warfare while
strengthening the military cooperation between the two countries," the Navy said,
quoting South Korean Commodore Moon Byung-ok, who oversees the training.
About 40 New Zealand soldiers died in the 1950-53 Korean War when the country
sent a 6,000-strong contingent to join the United Nations command fighting on
South Korea's side against North Korea.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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