Changwon: A naval training unit was set to embark on a four-month cadet training deployment across the Pacific Ocean on Friday, a voyage that also aims to boost defense exchanges with partner nations, the Navy said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Navy's Cruise Training Task Group, including more than 140 cadets, will depart aboard the 4,500-ton ROKS Hansando training ship from Changwon, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on a training mission scheduled to run through Jan. 22. The voyage will cover over 50,000 kilometers, with the vessel making port calls in several locations, including Hawaii, Guam, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, and Fiji.
During the deployment, the cadets will engage in core training activities such as combat readiness drills, damage control, and hands-on equipment operations. They will also visit key foreign military installations and tour historical battlefields. The task group intends to use the deployment to foster military exchanges with partner countries in the Pacific and South America and host commemorative events for Korean War veterans and their families in the regions.
This year's deployment will feature several noteworthy firsts, including the task group's inaugural port call to the U.S. Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and its first visits to Peru and Chile in 14 years, the Navy said.