MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - A South Korean Navy delegation led by the commander of the operational command of South Korea's Navy Adm. Park Ki-kyung has arrived at the main base of Russia's Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok.
"Commander of the Pacific Fleet Adm. Sergei Avakyants met with Adm. Park Ki-kyung at the St. Peter's Hall of the House of Officers of the Pacific Fleet," the fleet said in a report seen by Interfax on Thursday.
"The Korean admiral noted that such visits help strengthen not only operational interaction between the fleets, but also help promote mutual understanding between sailors and help develop cultural ties. He particularly stressed the fact that the Russian and Korean fleets, which are neighbors in the region, ought to further develop their cooperation, including interaction during emergencies at sea, help prevent incidents at sea, and hold joint exercises as often as possible," the Russian Pacific Fleet's headquarters said.
Park also called for "bolstering cooperation as part of exchanges of delegations of students of Russian naval schools and Korean cadets," the press service said.
"Adm. Park Ki-kyung assured us that Russian naval ships are welcome at Korean ports, inviting the Pacific Fleet commander to visit the main base of the Navy of the Republic of Korea," it said.
Avakyants, in turn, "also noted the growth of the level of interaction with South Korean sailors and said that the Pacific Fleet will always support any bilateral exercises with ships of the Navy of the Republic of Korea."
"He also welcomed port calls by ships from the [South Korean] national Navy in Vladivostok and invited Korean sailors to regularly take part in Russian Navy Day celebrations in the capital of Primorye," it said.