South Korean Marine hopes to honour Australia’s sacrifice during next Talisman Sabre

A South Korean Marine has thanked Australians for permitting his countrymen to join in with Exercise Talisman Sabre for the first time.

A Marine from the Republic of Korea has thanked Australia for allowing the nation to join in on Australia’s largest biennial military training exercise with the US for the first time.

Republic of Korea Marine Corps Captain Soo Min Choi, 27, said South Korea remained grateful for the help from Australia and other allies during the 1950-1953 Korean War, and that the nation’s military was happy to be invited to join in with Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21) for the first time.

“We got a lot of help internationally during the Korean War,” he said.

“We feel like it is our time to get involved and participate in a combined exercise to strengthen ties with our allies and maintain peace in the world.”

Republic of Korea Armed Forces Captain Soo Min Choi at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21). TS21 is the largest bilateral training activity between Australia and the United States and is on now through to the end of the month. Held every two years, TS21 aims to test Australian interoperability with the US and other participating forces in complex warfighting scenarios. In addition to the US, TS21 involves forces from Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and the UK. Picture: Lauren Larking

Capt Choi said South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), was originally hoping to send about 700 military personnel to TS21, but the coronavirus pandemic put a

halt to that plan.

“We were supposed to join with a battalion of Korean marines, however, because of Covid it got too hard, so we came here with seven members of staff, all of us officers,” he said.

Besides the officers on shore, about 200 sailors are on board the Republic of Korea navy destroyer, the ROKS Wang Geon.

The ninth iteration of TS21 involves 17,000 Australian and foreign servicemen and women, with the peak of the mock war-games underway now to the end of the month throughout and off the coast of Queensland.

The aim of TS21 is to strengthen Australia’s alliance with the US, with personnel from the UK, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the ROK involved this year.

Capt Choi, who is based in Pohan, said each of the Korean officers were involved with different aspects of the training operation.

Republic of Korea Armed Forces officers and Australian Army soldier discuss the details of a HX-81 truck, during a tour of the Townsville Field Training Area for International Observers during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21). Picture: LACW Emma Schwenke

“Some of us are with the amphibious operation part, some of us are in the land operation part, some of us are in the information part and some of us are in public affairs,” he said.

The officer thanked Australia for welcoming them to TS21 and said South Korea hoped to return to TS23, which was anticipated to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the battle of the Samichon River, the last battle of the Korean War.

“For the next Talisman Sabre there will be a lot of people coming,” he said.

“A Colonel or a general might come … to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the battle of Samichon.”

The high-casualty battle, involving UN forces primarily made up of Australian and New Zealand soldiers alongside US Marines, lasted from July 24-26, 1953, until the Chinese army finally called off their offensive and signed a formal armistice the next day.

ROKS Wang Geon (DD 978) steams in formation alongside partner nations and allies during Talisman Sabre 2021. The month-long multi-domain exercise consists of a series of training events that reinforce the strong US-Australian alliance and demonstrates the commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Picture: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Desmond Parks/US navy

Capt Choi, who was accompanied by an Australian Defence Force media officer, declined to comment when asked about the two alleged Chinese spy ships watching TS21 from offshore in international waters.

“I wasn’t allowed to answer that question,” he said.

It is the third time China has sent a surveillance ship to observe the exercise, but the first time it has sent two.

Deputy Director of TS21, US Army Colonel Jerry Hall, 56, is on his fourth Talisman Sabre and said the US was not surprised about China’s presence.

“Talisman Sabre is one of the best exercises the US participates in the Indo Pacific,” he said.

“Its high end training. We get to do an air, maritime and land combat component.

“The exercise continually gets better not just because of the technology but the advancing interoperability.”

Republic of Korea Marine Corps, New Zealand Air Force, and United States Air Force personnel attend a Joint Terminal Attack Controller training serial, at the Townsville Field Training Area during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. Picture: LACW Emma Schwenke

Griffith University Professor of Political science, Andrew O’Neil, said the Chinese military would be trying to gather as much information as possible on how the US and allied forces worked together.

“I think Talisman Sabre needs to be seen in a context as broader competition between the US and China and that it also has the intent, by Australia and the US, to strengthen the alliance and to work with other countries in the region like Japan and South Korea,” he said.

Professor O’Neil, 51, said South Korea had a strong alliance with the US but were “more sensitive to China”.

“They’re likely going to hold back a bit more in terms of co-operation because the South Koreans understand any resolution to the Korean peninsula issue (with North Korea) depends on China.

“ South Korea it can’t afford to p**s china off in a huge way.”