South Korea plans to send a naval vessel to the international fleet review to be hosted next month by the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the South Korean Defense Ministry said Monday.

South Korea’s participation in the event will be the first since 2002, according to ministry spokesman Kim Kin-seok.

Meanwhile, the Yonhap News Agency cited a South Korean Defense Ministry source as saying that Seoul will send the KDX-II-class destroyer Dae Jo-yeong to the event, which is scheduled for Oct. 18.

While participating in the fleet review, the vessel will also take part in a joint search and rescue exercise with the MSDF.

This biennial drill, which was first held in 1999, is aimed at bolstering search and-rescue training via joint-response exercises to accidents at sea.