South Korea's Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force have taken part in joint maritime exercises off the coast of Somalia amid recent tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, media reported on Monday, citing the South Korean navy
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2019) South Korea's Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force have taken part in joint maritime exercises off the coast of Somalia amid recent tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, media reported on Monday, citing the South Korean navy.Relations between Japan and South Korea took a turn for the worse last year after the latter's top court ruled that a number of Japanese companies could be sued for their use of forced labor during World War II. Japan has protested the decision, claiming that the 1965 agreement between the two countries had resolved the issue of damages once and for all. In August, the South Korean government announced the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement, which allowed both countries to exchange military information.
The drills were held from September 23-26, the Yonhap news agency said. In addition to the South Korean and Japanese militaries, soldiers from Germany, Spain and Oman also took part in the exercises.
The main goal of the drills was to practice the detection and seizure of pirate vessels, the media said.
The South Korean battleship, Kang Gam Chan, which has been on an anti-piracy mission in the region since 2009, was among the country's vessels that were mobilized for the exercises, the news agency noted.
