Admiral Franchetti and Admiral Yang’s Strategic Dialogue: Strengthening US-ROK Naval Alliances

In a significant virtual meeting on January 13, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti engaged with Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo. Their dialogue focused on reinforcing the steadfast U.S.–ROK alliance, highlighting the crucial role of maritime security cooperation in ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Adm. Franchetti introduced her strategic vision through the Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy. She identified future collaboration opportunities in the joint and combined warfighting ecosystem, aiming for cohesive efforts via exercises and conferences involving both bilateral and multilateral engagements.

The meeting also marked mutual celebrations of key anniversaries: the U.S. Navy’s 250th and the ROK Navy’s 80th. Both naval leaders extended New Year wishes and pledged to commemorate these milestones significantly.

Adm. Franchetti expressed gratitude to Adm. Yang for the ROK Navy’s involvement in recent trilateral activities with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. She stressed the importance of this trilateral cooperation for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing that it serves as a deterrent to potential threats. Adm. Franchetti is optimistic about further strengthening this trilateral partnership.