US and ROK Submarine Forces Participate in 41st SWCM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian G. Reynolds, Commander Submarine Group 7 Public Affairs

FLEET ACTIVITIES YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Commander, Submarine Group (COMSUBGRU) 7 conducted bilateral talks with the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) March 31 - April 2 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The 41st Submarine Warfare Committee Meeting (SWCM) brought together representatives from the U.S. and ROK navies.

Rear Adm. William R. Merz, commander, Submarine Group 7, met with Rear Adm. Youn Jeong Sang (ROK Navy) to discuss planning combined exercises, training and continued development of integrated anti-submarine warfare plans. The underlying theme of the talks was expanding the alliance between the U.S. and ROK navies.

"This was a great opportunity for us to interact and coordinate with the Korean submarine force," said Merz. "Holding these talks in Hawaii enabled the Korean submarine force leadership to interact with our submarine training organizations in the Pacific and facilitated discussions of greater cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the region."

Established in 1994 during the birth of the ROKN submarine fleet, the conference has evolved into a discussion between U.S. and ROKN submarine forces focused on submarine tactics, force integration, and future submarine development.

The three-day conference included a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial and focused on organizational strategies and best practices for submarine and anti-submarine warfare.

Youn is the first commander of the newly established ROKN Submarine Force Command.