Source: United States Navy
WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2024) – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti hosted the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo for an official counterpart visit, Jan. 30 – Feb. 2.
Yang’s trip to Washington D.C. was part of a week-long trip to the United States, that included stops in Kings Bay, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., Patuxent River, Md., and Annapolis, Md., where he visited Navy commands and spoke with Navy leaders and Sailors.
“We remain aligned, and our alliance is ironclad,” said Franchetti. “MCPON Honea and I served together 10 years ago at Commander, Naval Forces Korea. It has been an honor to see how the already strong alliance has grown. The commitment of our navies has grown exponentially over the past 70 years, and I am excited for the next 70 years, and the 70 years after that.”
While in Washington D.C., the two leaders had multiple engagements to include a full-honor’s welcoming ceremony, an office call and a roundtable, where Franchetti emphasized a collaborative approach to strategic deterrence and global interoperability as topline priorities.
“The ROK-US navies have enhanced collective response capabilities against threats that disturb maritime security through various combined exercises and military cooperation, such as RIMPAC, Maritime Maneuver Drills with USN CSGs, ROK-US-Japan Trilateral Missile Defense Training and etc, ultimately contributing to the establishment of rules-based international order,” said Yang.
The ROKN CNO further noted that “as the core force of the Alliance, ROK Navy will continue to solemnly safeguard freedom, peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region through sailing together with the US Navy.”
Franchetti also noted that for seven decades the U.S. – ROK alliance has proven to be among the most capable, cooperative, and durable in the world. She applauded the significant advances in interoperability between the U.S. and ROK navies and committed to advance Navy-to-Navy relations with purpose and urgency.
Prior to the CNO-hosted round-table, Yang received a brief on unmanned aviation and strike weapons while at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River.
At the round-table, Franchetti and Yang led a discussion on maritime security cooperation with the ROK Navy delegation and Deputy CNOs. They also discussed their shared commitment to interoperability, the importance of ensuring joint forces are ready and trained for the high-end fight, and how the two navies can integrate conventional capabilities with new technologies, adapting different tactics and ideas.
“Discussions, like the round-table, help our efforts to increase interoperability with the ROK Navy,” said Franchetti. “Having Adm. Yang Yong-mo here as my first official visitor during my tenure as the Chief of Naval Operations, demonstrates the importance of our navy-to-navy relationship. His visit this week shows that our alliance remains the linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity.”
Following his visit to Washington, D.C., Yang traveled to NAS Jacksonville to visit the P-8 squadron where the ROK Navy is training on their new capability; and then travelled to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to tour the base, as a follow-on to the recent visit by USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) to Busan in July 2023.
Yang then returned to the National Capitol Region for a visit to Annapolis to meet with the ROK Navy Midshipmen enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy.
This was Franchetti’s first counterpart visit as Chief of Naval Operations.