Singapore and Republic of Korea Navies Co-Host Maritime Security Exercise to Strengthen ADMM-Plus Cooperation

Representatives from the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) countries at the opening ceremony of the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX) in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK).

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) earlier today for the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise. The ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise is co-organised by Singapore and the ROK, and will be held from 30 April to 13 May 2019. The exercise opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday, 30 April 2019 in Busan, ROK. The ceremony will be officiated by Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Commander Maritime Battle Group 3, Rear-Admiral (RADM) Lee Seong Yeol. Exercise co-directors, RSN Head of Naval Operations RADM Edwin Leong and ROKN Director Maritime Operations Center RADM Hwang Sun Woo, will also be present at the opening ceremony, along with representatives from the ADMM-Plus navies.

The exercise will involve 19 ships and 10 aircraft with about 700 personnel from the 18 ADMM-Plus countries. Participants will conduct a series of professional exchanges ashore, as well as maritime security drills in the waters off ROK and Singapore.

The exercise is the culmination of Singapore and ROK's co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security from 2017 to 2020. Singapore and ROK had set out to promote the building of mutual trust and understanding amongst the ADMM-Plus countries through strategic dialogue as well as practical cooperation. Under their co-chairmanship, the ADMM-Plus navies agreed in November 2017 to adopt and practise the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea – a confidence-building measure that enhances maritime safety by reducing misunderstandings and preventing miscalculations at sea. Singapore and ROK also conducted the Future Leaders' Programme in June 2018 to encourage collaboration within the ADMM-Plus community on maritime security. The programme included professional sharing on topics such as maritime terrorism, and visits to an RSN frigate, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and the Police Coast Guard.

The ADMM-Plus comprises the ten ASEAN countries as well as Australia, China, Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States. Since its establishment in 2010, the ADMM-Plus and associated activities have made significant progress in confidence-building, and continue to promote stable military-to-military relations to enhance regional peace and stability.

Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Li (left), Commanding Officer of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)’s RSS Stalwart, is welcomed by Commander Ahn Deok Yeol, Commanding Officer of the Republic of Korea Navy’s ROKS Jeonbuk, as RSS Stalwart arrives in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK) for the ADMM-Plus MARSEC FTX.

Major Ho Chuan (right), Operations Officer of the RSN’s RSS Stalwart, conducting exercise planning with ADMM-Plus counterparts.