CHINHAE, Republic of Korea -- The chief-of-staff for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) met with Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy junior officers during a surface warfare officer discussion at the ROKN Education and Training Center Feb. 15.

During the event, one of 10 scheduled lectures, Cmdr. Henry Kim spoke to 70 ROK Navy junior officers about the mission and the role of the U.S. Navy on the Korean peninsula.

"We [ROK and U.S. navies] have a close relationship, and I hope the lecture series will bring us closer together as we learn more about each other's capabilities and mission," said Kim.

Cmdr. Fillion, CNFK assistant chief-of-staff for Security Cooperation and Engagements, echoed Kim's sentiment and said he hopes the meetings with ROK Navy student will benefit both ROK and U.S. Sailors alike.

"We want these ROK naval officers to know they are trusted partners, and we do that by investing our time in their careers," said Fillion. "We also want CNFK Sailors to feel like they are making a positive contribution to our partnership, so the opportunity for our Sailors to speak to one another in the classroom is irreplaceable."

The class included ROK officers in the Surface Warfare, Submarine Warfare, and Aviation career fields, many of whom may work with U.S. personnel shortly after graduating.

Kim said the event was a great way to educate young officers and offer insight about the importance of the ROK and U.S. Navy relationship.

CNFK is the U.S. Navy's representative in the ROK, providing leadership and expertise in naval matters to improve institutional and operational effectiveness between the two navies and to strengthen collective security efforts in Korea and the region.