Hawaii, July 5 (local time) — the excitement of the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence Day had not yet faded.

At Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, located about 20 km from the festive atmosphere of Waikiki Beach, ships flying various national flags were docked in rows.

From the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, with a deck the size of three soccer fields, to amphibious assault ships, Aegis destroyers, and nuclear-powered submarines, the vessels varied in nationality, type, and class.

Seen from a distance, the colorful flags fluttering above dozens of ships resembled a display of international bunting.

Naval officers from various countries who had crossed the Pacific were also seen at Pearl Harbor that day.

Sharing only the commonality of being in the navy, they communicated through gestures and body language despite differences in language, skin color, and uniforms.

What brought these ships and personnel from all over the world to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the 2026 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world's largest multinational maritime training event.

Hosted biennially by the U.S. 3rd Fleet, the exercise is designed to enhance multinational maritime operational capabilities, such as protecting maritime traffic routes along the Pacific coast and improving the ability to jointly respond to maritime threats.

This year's RIMPAC features 30 countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia, with approximately 30 surface ships, 5 submarines, 200 aircraft, and 30,000 personnel participating.

It is the largest scale in history in terms of participating nations.

What makes this year's RIMPAC particularly noteworthy is that South Korea has taken the helm to command the entire naval force participating in the exercise for the first time.

The Republic of Korea Navy has assumed the role of Combined Maritime Component Commander (CMCC), which oversees all maritime forces in this RIMPAC.

South Korea is the fourth country in history to perform the role of CMCC, and the first Asian nation to do so.

The ROK Navy has been participating in RIMPAC since 1990, making this its 19th participation.

The transition of the ROK Navy from a simple participant to a command nation is a recognition of its ability to plan and command combined maritime operations.

The first South Korean CMCC is Rear Admiral Kim In-ho, Commander of the ROK Navy Maritime Battle Group.

Rear Admiral Kim will command the combined naval forces of 30 nations, including carrier strike groups and expeditionary strike groups, and oversee the planning and execution of maritime operations.

"As the first Asian nation to perform the role of Combined Maritime Component Commander in the RIMPAC exercise, I feel a great sense of responsibility," said Rear Admiral Kim. "Through RIMPAC, I will strengthen our navy's capabilities and elevate its status to the world."

In line with its role as the overall commander of maritime forces, the ROK Navy has deployed a large number of its elite assets to this year's RIMPAC.

This year's participants include approximately 700 navy and marine personnel, as well as the Aegis destroyer ROKS Jeongjo the Great (DDG, 8,200-ton class), the submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho (SS-III, 3,000-ton class), the landing ship ROKS Cheonjabong (LST-II, 4,900-ton class), the frigate ROKS Daejeon (FFG, 3,100-ton class), a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, an AW-159 maritime operation helicopter, and 6 Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAV).

Of particular note are three assets: the ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho, the ROKS Jeongjo the Great, and the P-8A Poseidon.

Each represents the latest technology in the ROK Navy's submarine, Aegis destroyer, and maritime patrol aircraft sectors, and all are participating in RIMPAC for the first time.

The ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho, the first submarine in South Korean history to cross the Pacific, was docked between Canadian and Peruvian submarines at the Pearl Harbor submarine pier on this day.

It is a 3,000-ton submarine, 83.5 meters long and 9.6 meters wide, independently built with domestic technology.

The submarine crossed the Pacific, sailing approximately 14,000 km to participate in the ROK-Canada combined naval cooperation exercise and RIMPAC.

Even in much larger nuclear-powered submarines, interior spaces are typically very cramped, with poor essential facilities such as restrooms. However, the ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho is equipped with top-tier individual living spaces and amenities among existing submarines to minimize crew fatigue.

The ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho has a total capacity of 50 people, and the facilities are sufficient for most crew members to use individual beds.

Currently, there are 5 female crew members on board, and the submarine is also equipped with restrooms and living quarters exclusively for female personnel.

The ROKS Jeongjo the Great stood out among the ships docked at Pearl Harbor for its imposing presence.

With a length of 170 meters and a width of 21 meters, it is the largest and most advanced destroyer in the ROK Navy's fleet.

The ROK Navy has sent Sejong the Great-class (7,600-ton class) Aegis destroyers to RIMPAC every year since 2010, but this year marks the first participation of the latest Jeongjo the Great-class (8,200-ton class) destroyer.

In this RIMPAC exercise, the ROKS Jeongjo the Great has been assigned the role of Deputy Commander for Air Defense of the Carrier Strike Group.

During the actual exercise, it is scheduled to temporarily assume the commander's role to oversee the carrier strike group's air defense mission.

On this day, the Navy also demonstrated a virtual air defense exercise in the combat command center of the ROKS Jeongjo the Great, detecting enemy aircraft and missiles and launching missiles to intercept them.

The P-8A Poseidon, which was deployed to the South Korean military in July of last year, is also participating in RIMPAC for the first time.

Known as a "submarine killer," it is the most powerful maritime patrol aircraft and will be assigned to the maritime patrol unit to carry out maritime patrol missions during this exercise.

The ROK RIMPAC training unit will conduct harbor training until July 6, and starting July 7, they will set sail sequentially to begin maritime training, including anti-surface, anti-air, anti-submarine, and free-play exercises.

(Photo: Yonhap News)