Changwon: South Korea and the United States have commenced their routine rescue training drills this week to boost the interoperability between their naval forces, the South's Navy announced on Thursday. The Salvage Exercise (SALVEX), which began on Monday, is scheduled to last five days and is taking place in waters near Changwon, approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the drills have assembled troops from the Navy's Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit (SSU), the ROKS Tongyeong salvage and rescue ship, and the U.S. Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit. This year marks the first time that the Australian Clearance Diving Team and a specialized rescue unit from the Korea Coast Guard have participated in the exercise. Their involvement is aimed at bolstering joint rescue capabilities with the Navy.

Throughout the exercises, the troops are engaging in underwater search missions aboard the rescue ship and participating in scuba training. These activities are designed to simulate scenarios such as searching for missing individuals under a sinking ship. The primary goal of the joint exercise is to strengthen rescue operations capabilities both in peacetime and during conflict, while enhancing the cooperation between the participating navies.