Seoul: Top admirals of South Korea, the United States, and Japan will meet for talks in Seoul this week to discuss ways to bolster trilateral maritime security cooperation, military officials said Tuesday. The discussions are set to include Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Stephen Koehler, and Adm. Akira Saito, chief of staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the talks will take place on Wednesday. The admirals are expected to exchange assessments on the regional maritime security situation and explore strategies for enhancing trilateral maritime security cooperation.
The timing of the meeting has prompted speculation about whether the discussions might address the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged countries, including South Korea and Japan, to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard shipping lanes amid the Middle East conflict.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back informed lawmakers earlier that South Korea has not yet received an official request to send troops to the strait.