South Korea will join a US-led multinational anti-submarine exercise in waters off Guam on Tuesday, the Navy said, in an effort to hone capabilities against underwater threats.

The Navy will deploy some 40 personnel and a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft for the annual Sea Dragon exercise that is set to begin later in the day through Jan. 25, which will also involve India, Australia and Japan.

The exercise will train troops aboard maritime patrol aircraft to identify and track submarines with detection equipment, including radar and sonobuoys, and to share submarine target data with other participants, the Navy said.

During the exercise, South Korean troops plan to visit a veterans memorial in Guam to pay respect for those who participated in the 1950-53 Korean War.

South Korea first took part in the exercise as an observer in 2019, before becoming a full participant the next year. The exercise was first launched in 2014. (Yonhap)