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The JMSDF’s fleet review takes place in Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, in 2015. (Hankyoreh file photo)

The government has decided that South Korea’s Navy will participate in the upcoming Japanese naval fleet review scheduled for Nov. 6 at Sagami Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture. The fleet review will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Despite courting controversy over what some call a “pro-Japanese” defense policy, the decision points to the Yoon administration’s desire to continue strengthening security cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

“The Ministry of National Defense and the Navy have decided that our naval vessel will participate in the international fleet review to be held in Japan on the 6th of next month,” a statement released on Thursday by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated.

This will mark the first time in seven years that the South Korean military will participate in a Japanese naval review, the last being in 2015 during the Park Geun-hye administration.

The MND explained that the decision to participate was made by thoroughly considering how the South Korean Navy had participated in naval reviews hosted by Japan twice in the past and also based on international customs concerning international fleet reviews.

Japan had sent an invitation to the navies of its allies in the western Pacific region, including South Korea, to participate in the fleet review back in January.

It wasn’t until August, however, that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began seriously considering whether to participate in the naval review. The final decision to participate came only 10 days before the event, after discussions were held by the National Security Council’s standing committee.

The delay in the government’s decision is largely due to the major controversy about the flag used by the JMSDF, which closely resembles the Rising Sun flag used by the Japanese military during the Pacific War.

The government's decision to participate in the naval review seems to be in line with its policy to continue strengthening security cooperation with the US and Japan to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats. This is despite the current political atmosphere in which the opposition Democratic Party is on the offensive, accusing the Yoon administration of “pro-Japanese” defense policies by participating in joint drills with the US and Japan.

“Considering the severe security situation around the Korean Peninsula caused by North Korea's recent series of provocations, the security implications of the South Korean Navy's participation in the international fleet review were considered as the top priority,” the MND emphasized when announcing the news.

“We need to gauge whether we can separately think about only strengthening security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan amidst a situation where historical issues have not yet been resolved,” Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, pointed out.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to send the newest 10,000-ton logistics support ship ROKS Soyang, not a warship, to the fleet review.

The ship is scheduled to depart from Jinhae Port on Saturday and enter the port of Yokosuka in Japan on Tuesday

After participating in the fleet review on Nov. 6, the South Korean ship is set to hold multilateral joint drills with ships from participating countries until the following day.

By Shin Hyeong-cheol, staff reporter

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