The Navy said Tuesday it will open a week-long parade of its fleet this week in honor of the 70th anniversary of its foundation, bringing together a group of U.S. warships, including the USS Ronald Reagan.
The parade will kick off on Saturday in the waters off the southern port city of Busan for a seven-day run, according to the Navy.
A fleet of about 30 South Korean Navy and Coast Guard vessels, including submarines and an Aegis combat system-equipped destroyer, will participate in the maritime parade, along with combat jets and aircraft from the local military.
About 8,200 guests, including war veterans and civilians, will join the event and be aboard the participating vessels for firsthand reviews of the fleet, the Navy said.
The U.S. will send a group of four vessels, including the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan and two Aegis destroyers, for a parade slated for Oct. 23 in what would be a flaunting of the strong military alliance with South Korea, according to the Navy.
Following the event, the aircraft carrier will conduct joint naval drills with the South Korean Navy on the sectors of anti-submarine, anti-aircraft and anti-bombing combat.
“The USS Ronald Reagan will capitalize on the occasion to conduct maritime drills of precedented levels with our Navy in waters of the Korean Peninsula,” Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing earlier in the day.
As part of the week-long commemorative event, the Navy will also hold an exhibition of its vessels at the Busan naval base, in addition to music concerts and a symposium, the Navy added. (Yonhap)
