JEJU, Republic of Korea – Rear Adm. Rick Seif, commander, Submarine Group 7/Task Force (CTF) 74, visited Jeju, Republic of Korea for the 56th iteration of the biannual Submarine Warfare Committee Meeting (SWCM) with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Submarine Force, May 22-24, 2023.
“The U.S.-ROK alliance has been a linchpin of security and prosperity in the region for 70 years," said Seif. "These meetings help us continue to expand our cooperation and contributions in the undersea domain to help ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
During SWCM, Seif met with Rear Adm. Suyoul Lee, commander, ROK Navy Submarine Force (COMSUBFOR), to discuss ways to strengthen mutual cooperation and improve combined operational capabilities.
The two naval leaders signed the SWCM 56 action items at the conclusion of the conference that reaffirmed the longstanding relationship. The agreement acknowledges that both submarine forces will commit themselves to continued work in the coming year, to help maintain close coordination and shared training opportunities.
"This meeting was a great opportunity to reaffirm the solid alliance between COMSUBFOR and CTF-74, and discuss various ways of cooperation to strongly support the security and combined defense posture in the region," said Lee. "As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance, I look forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two submarine forces and enhancing anti-submarine warfare and combined operational capabilities through a seamless cooperation system."
SWCM meetings have been held twice per year by U.S. and ROK submarine forces on a rotational basis since 1994. During the meetings, submarine force leaders discuss ways to deepen partnerships and improve combined interoperability. SWCM was established during the early years of the ROK submarine force. The most recent iteration, SWCM 55, was held in Guam in September 2022.
Submarine Group 7 directs forward-deployed, combat capable forces across the full spectrum of undersea warfare throughout the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea.
For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 7, visit www.csp.navy.mil/csg7/.