S. Korea to Join Fleet Review in Japan for 1st Time since 2015

Seoul, Oct. 27 (Jiji Press)--South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Thursday that its navy will participate in an international fleet review in Japan for the first time since 2015.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force has invited South Korea to the fleet review to be held on Nov. 6 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the MSDF's establishment.

The relationship between the MSDF and the South Korean navy worsened after a South Korean warship directed its radar at a MSDF plane in December 2018. Following the incident, the MSDF did not invite South Korea to the 2019 fleet review.

Ahead of the October 2018 fleet review in South Korea, meanwhile, the South Korean side demanded the MSDF not display its rising sun flag, regarded by South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. The MSDF then decided to skip the event.

The South Korean side now appears to be moving to mend its ties with Japan amid signs of improvement in the bilateral relationship.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]