Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper, with files from the Government of Canada

  • Two Republic of Korea Navy vessels will visit CFB Esquimalt from May 23 to June 2 following a 14,000-kilometre trans-Pacific voyage.
  • Joint activities, including personnel exchanges and exercises, will strengthen interoperability with the RCN.
  • The visit supports broader maritime cooperation and force generation, including future participation in the multinational RIMPAC exercise.

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A Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) port visit to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt is planned for later this spring, highlighting Canada’s continued focus on enhancing maritime interoperability and collaboration with allied navies.

The visit, scheduled from May 23 to June 2, will see two ROKN vessels arrive in Esquimalt: ROKS Daejeon (FFG-823), a Daegu-class frigate, and ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (SS-083), a KSS-III class submarine. Both ROKN vessels are currently sailing on a 14,000-kilometre trans-Pacific voyage from Jinhae, South Korea, to Canada’s West Coast. During the port visit, sailors from both navies will take part in a series of professional engagements, strengthening the growing maritime partnership between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and ROKN. These interactions will build mutual understanding and enhance interoperability between both parties while also reinforcing their joint shared commitment to regional stability.

ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho at sea making its first trans-Pacific voyage to Canadian shores. Photo supplied.

A key component of the engagement will be a personnel exchange conducted through the RCN’s REGULUS program, which provides members of the RCN with opportunities to operate alongside allied and partner navies, exposing them to different tactics, techniques, and operational environments in the process. As such, two Canadian sailors will sail with members of the ROKN aboard ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho for the final leg of its journey from Hawaii to CFB Esquimalt.

Near the conclusion of the ROKN port visit, both ROKN and RCN assets will depart from Esquimalt Harbour to conduct combined exercises within the Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) area of operations. This will include both anti-submarine warfare exercises and integration exercises conducted with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) maritime patrol aircrafts.

Ultimately, these joint exercises will strengthen the partnership between the ROKN and RCN through their shared priorities of force generation, knowledge sharing, and warfighting proficiency. As global maritime challenges continue to evolve, engagements such as the ROKN’s upcoming visit underscore the importance of strong international partnerships.

Through joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and sustained collaboration, the RCN continues to build the interoperability and trust required to operate effectively, together, at sea.