Led by the U.S. Pacific Command
South Korea will join a multinational maritime military exercise led by the United States and Thailand in the Southeast Asian country this week, the Navy said Monday.
In the annual Cobra Gold drills, headed by the U.S. Pacific Command and the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, the combined forces practice landing in conflict areas, resolving hostilities and engaging in humanitarian missions, it said in a statement.
Some 7,500 forces from nine countries, with the other six being Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, India and China, will participate in the 10-day drills, which will start Tuesday. Ten other countries, including Britain, Canada and France, will participate as observers.
South Korea plans to send a combined 57 Navy and Marine Corps service members, eight warships, 52 aircraft and 23 assault amphibious vehicles.
"In odd years, the country sends a small number of forces to the Cobra Gold drill because it does not take part in large-scale landing exercises. But in even years, it sends hundreds of troops to the drill," a Navy spokesman said.
The U.S.-Thailand exercise was launched in 1981 to build up regional war readiness and humanitarian and civil action capabilities. (Yonhap)