The Navy said Wednesday it is hosting an international conference on submarine operations for the first time.

Officials from 19 submarine-operating nations, such as the United States, China, Russia and Britain, are attending the 12th Asia-Pacific Submarine Conference that got under way Wednesday in Busan and at the Jinhae naval base on the southern coast for a three-day run, the Navy said.

Japan also sent a five-member delegation to the meeting, it said.

It is the first time South Korea’s Navy has hosted the conference aimed at discussing submarine operations, salvage techniques and international drills. (Yonhap News)