Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Joined ‘indomitable DNA’ of the Korea-U.S. Marine Corps

The Korea-U.S. marines developed an actual combined training at the northwest islands in the West Sea, where the threat level of local provocations has been increasing. On October 4, the Marine Corps reported that from the end of September to the beginning of this month, the 3rd U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force, 6th Marine brigade and Yeonpyeong unit held tactical training and aircraft-guided drills at Baengnyeongdo and Yeonpyeongdo islands in preparation for an actual enemy provocation.

As part of the Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP), the training was mobilized with 120 Korean and 200 American marines.

The Korea-U.S. Marine Corps organizes a combined unit and conducts the actual training with various assumed situations in order to maximize the benefits of the training. The U.S. marines deployed at Baengnyeongdo with our naval landing ship and had night-day gunnery exercises, combat training in urban area, obstacle overcoming training, etc. with the 6th Marine brigade. Starting October 2, they developed the night-day tactical training under the assumption of actually-possible situations. There also was a training to guide aerial and marine firepower by soldiers of Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Companies (ANGLICO) at Yeonpyeongdo. To become skilled in actual combined firepower controls, the Air Force supported the KF-16 fighter to the Marine Corps.

The Marines evaluated the training as a great opportunity to build a consensus regarding the response to various provocative threats, and to reinforce the mutual understanding about tactics and techniques.

Captain Eom Dae-hun, of the 6th brigade, said, “We’ll complete the full operational readiness posture based on the firm Korea-U.S. alliance and the indomitable ‘Marines DNA’ so that we can immediately use force to punish any kind of enemy provocations with no hesitation. This will make us more ready to engage in any operations, in any emergency.”

By Su-Yeol, Maeng < guns13@dema.mil.kr >
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