Korea, US hold joint naval salvage training

Published : Mar 31, 2017 - 10:04 Updated : Mar 31, 2017 - 10:04

South Korea and the United States have staged a two-week naval exercise focusing on combined diving and salvage operations, the US Pacific Command announced Friday.

During the Salvage Exercise Korea 2017 training, which began on March 21, US Navy divers assigned to the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1 used South Korea's 3,500-ton salvage and rescue ship, named the Tongyeong, alongside their local counterparts.

South Korean and US naval divers hold a joint rescue and salvage exercise. (US Pacific Command)

"The training focused on combined diving and salvage operations, and subject-matter expert exchanges," the Hawaii-based command said on its website. "Divers from both navies also operated together under complex, realistic training scenarios in waters near the Korean Peninsula."

The 33-year-long joint naval practice took place as part of the annual Foal Eagle defense training between the allies.

It especially came as South Korea has just recovered the Sewol ferry, which sank in 2014 off the southwestern coast, with more than 300 people, mostly students, killed.

The South Korean government came under public criticism that it should have quickly mobilized naval divers and the Tongyeong ship, and requested US assistance during the disaster. (Yonhap)