On Thursday, the navies of South Korea and the United States signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in Washington, D.C., to establish a Maritime Science, Technology, and Capabilities Steering Group.
The agreement aims to enhance maritime science and technology cooperation in cutting-edge fields, including AI, quantum technology, unmanned and manned systems, and underwater technology.
The navies of South Korea and the United States signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Washington, D.C., to establish the Maritime Science, Technology, and Capabilities Steering Group (MSTCSG) between their naval forces.
This signing marks a historic step. For the first time, the two navies formally agreed to create a steering group dedicated to scientific and technological advancement, opening a new chapter in ROK-U.S. maritime science and technology cooperation.
The signing follows a meeting in February between ROK Navy Chief of Naval Operations Yang Yong-mo and U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations Lisa M. Franchetti, during which they discussed ways to strengthen mutual cooperation in maritime science and technology development. Further discussions were held in May when U.S. Naval Research Chief Rear Admiral Kurt Rothenhaus visited South Korea, solidifying plans for the steering group.
The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR, based in Washington, D.C.) is the oldest and most prestigious research institution among U.S. military science and technology organizations. Established in 1946, it leads research and development in maritime science and technology, including the development of large unmanned underwater vehicles, marine environmental studies, and advanced weapon systems.
The MoC signing ceremony was attended by ROK Navy Planning and Management Chief Vice Admiral Kwak Kwang Seop, Head of the Ocean Technology Research Institute’s Division 3 (Acting President) Seo Hee Sun from the Agency for Defense Development, and ONR Chief Rear Admiral Kurt Rothenhaus, as well as representatives from both countries’ navies and research institutes.
Through this memorandum, the South Korean and U.S. Navies, along with the Maritime Technology Research Institute and the Office of Naval Research, have committed to enhancing cooperation in naval requirements, science and technology, research and development, testing and evaluation, and programs related to weapons, equipment, and materials.
The steering group will comprise four subcommittees: Future Technologies, Information Warfare, Multi-Domain Warfare, and Platforms/Weapons. Its scope encompasses all advanced science and technology areas, including AI, quantum technology, manned and unmanned systems, and underwater technology. The South Korean and U.S. Navies aim to strengthen their alliance through this initiative.
Vice Admiral Kwak Kwang Seop, the ROK Navy Planning and Management Chief who co-chaired the signing ceremony, stated, “This MoC is significant because it marks the first scientific and technological steering group established between the two countries’ militaries, symbolizing the evolution of the ROK-U.S. alliance from a security alliance into a science and technology alliance.” He added, “Through this steering group, the ROK-U.S. navies’ collaboration will implement concrete actions in advanced science and technology fields, such as marine manned-unmanned combined combat systems, naval space capabilities, maritime domain awareness, and artificial intelligence.”
Comments0