South Korean Navy Veterinary Officer Deploys to Sabah
서로의 전문성과 경험을 공유하고 함께 문제를 해결하는 과정에서 국가별 시스템과 문화의 차이를 이해할 수 있었다
, Major Park Se-hong said after taking part in multinational disaster relief drills in Malaysia.
A South Korean Navy veterinary officer deployed to Sabah state in September for the 2026 Pacific Partnership exercise, contributing to humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region, dailyvet.co.kr reported.
Major Park served as the medical staff officer for the South Korean training battalion and a member of a multinational veterinary team from September 2 through September 15. The annual exercise, led by the United States Pacific Fleet, dispatches personnel to littoral nations to bolster regional preparedness, interoperability, and long-term trust.
Shifting Focus to Global Health Symposia
Twelve nations participated in the broader Pacific Partnership circuit this year, visiting locations such as Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and East Timor, while the South Korean contingent focused its deployment on Malaysia.
Planned preventive medicine efforts for local farms and poultry breeding center support faced restricted access to local facilities, shifting the team’s primary focus toward global health symposia and public health outreach.
Tackling Avian Influenza and Rabies Prevention
The veterinary division—consisting of four United States military personnel and Major Park—contributed to discussions on highly pathogenic avian influenza, rabies prevention, canine tactical combat casualty care, and One Health implementation.
Participants also reviewed food safety management, biosecurity protocols, and disease surveillance for military working dogs. Alongside the symposium sessions, the team conducted community education programs centered on rabies prevention and personal hygiene management for local residents.
Building Long-Term Regional Trust and Capability
Pacific Partnership has evolved from delivering basic aid into a collaborative framework designed to strengthen a host nation’s capacity for handling complex disasters. The deployment emphasizes long-term regional cooperation over simple material support.
Major Park noted that professional exchanges during the two-week mission built foundational trust among participating nations. 이러한 전문적인 교류와 협력이 복합재난과 인도적 위기 상황에서 함께 대응할 수 있는 역량을 높이고, 참가국 간 상호 신뢰를 쌓는 중요한 기반이 된다는 것을 느꼈다
, he stated regarding the value of shared expertise during crisis response training.
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