Joint maritime drills and mutual facility visits planned between the two countries
A Vietnam Coast Guard patrol vessel arrived at Yeosu New Port on Sunday for an exchange and cooperation visit with its South Korean counterpart.
The two coast guards have conducted regular cross-visits since 2016 to build a mutual partnership in maritime law enforcement, and this marks their fifth such exchange.
The visiting vessel, CSB 8001, is berthed at Yeosu New Port as part of a program organized by the Korea Coast Guard Education Institute, the country's coast guard training academy.
The ship is a flagship Vietnam Coast Guard vessel displacing 2,500 tons, measuring 90.64 meters in length and 14 meters in beam, with a top speed of 21 knots and a crew of 80.
The delegation is led by Nguyen Tran Dong, deputy commander of Vietnam Coast Guard Regional Command 3. During the five-day visit, both sides will discuss ways to strengthen friendly cooperation and deepen collaboration in maritime security.
On Tuesday, the two coast guards will hold joint drills in waters near Yeosu New Port focused on maritime search and rescue and firefighting response. The exercises will involve a training vessel from the Korea Coast Guard Education Institute, patrol ships from the Yeosu Coast Guard Station, and helicopters from the West Sea Coast Guard's Yeosu Aviation Unit.
Goodwill exchange programs — including mutual ship tours and visits to the education institute's facilities — are also scheduled. The 14th regular meeting between the Korean Coast Guard and its Vietnamese counterpart is set to take place in Incheon on Wednesday and Thursday.
An official from the Korea Coast Guard Education Institute's international cooperation division said the visit "will serve as an opportunity to further develop a sustainable cooperative relationship between the two coast guards and build a future-oriented cooperation network to jointly respond to the evolving maritime security environment."
parkds@heraldcorp.com
