Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Guard keeps tabs on the northernmost waters of East Sea around the clock

Increase of fishing and marine leisure activities during summer…best efforts to secure the safety of the people

The road to the unit in the northernmost location of the East Sea was difficult to travel. After about a four-hour drive from Seoul to the Unification Observatory in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, the civilian control line guarded by Army’s military police appeared. When this reporter stepped across the civilian control line after going through with the entry procedure, the 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard appeared. I was allowed to enter after passing through stricter procedures, driving home the fact that this unit really was adjacent to the north.

The 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard conducts vigilance and surveillance work on the sea in the southern part of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) of the East Sea. The guard’s key duties are the surveillance of enemy ships, artillery shells, and seas that may threaten the life and property of the people. The guard is also devoted to securing our fishermen’s safe fishery activity in cooperation with the Army 8th Corps, 22nd Infantry Division, and Korea Coast Guard.

Lieutenant Commander Hwang Gyu-ho, commander of the 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard, ushered me to the situation room. Soldiers conducted thorough vigilance and surveillance on the sea on a four-shift basis, 24 hours a day using a high-performance video surveillance system and radar. When I visited the situation room, the soldiers were at the peak of a blocking training, based on the scenario in which an ROK fishing ship is going to the North.

Jeodo fishing ground is in the northernmost location of the East Sea. Temporarily open to the public every year, it is called a ‘golden fishery’ due to the abundance of fish. As it is only 1.6 kilometers from the NLL, fishing boats from the south may cross the NLL unintentionally. During the summer when there is an increase in fishing work and marine leisure activities, soldiers must work even harder to prevent fishing boats from going to the North.

Sustained training on the assumption of a real-life situation…maintenance of a firm readiness posture

“Training! Blocking fishing ship from going to the North!”

When the officer of the day signaled the start of the training, the eyes of the soldiers looking at the monitor were filled with nervousness. “Radar contact! 15 miles east of Daejin Port, an unknown ship approaching inland!”

The officer of the day reported the situation while keeping an eye on the radar display. Another officer then started the identification work using the automatic identification system (AIS) and V-PASS.

“Rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIB), and patrol killer medium (PKM) on standby, be ready to depart!” The officer of the day immediately signaled the situation to the Korea Coast Guard, and an RIB and a PKM were called into action. Rushing to the scene, the Navy’s ships and the marine police’s ships gave a warning through the megaphone, and fired warning shots. The fishing boat stopped going north.

“Blocking the fishing ship going to the North! Situation done!”

The training was conducted like in a real-life situation, and ended with the fishing ship heading south after turning its bow. The soldiers gave a sigh of relief.

The 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard conducted a support operation to protect fishing by arranging a ship on the nearby sea during the period when Jeodo fishing ground is open. Blocking training was also conducted to prevent safety-related accidents, based on the scenario of a fishing ship going to the North. “We are working on training to develop the initial response capability, assuming that fishing ships might head north due to equipment failure or drowsy navigation. We are committed to maintaining a firm readiness posture as the opening of Jeodo fishing ground last month has led to a dramatic increase in the number of fishing ships,” said Sub-Lieutenant Han Ji-hyun, officer of the day.

Immediate response in any situation … service members carry out their mission with the belief that ‘we are one family’

“Training! A suspicious person has been found outside the guardhouse! Call the quick reaction forces to the scene!”

The next training was based on a situation in which a suspicious person was trying to infiltrate into the barracks. The 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard conducts surprise training every day to check the base/facility security operation posture, as the unit is located on the northern side of the civilian control line at the northernmost tip of the East Sea.

The quick reaction forces who carry out the security mission were called to the guardhouse after receiving arms. Members of the quick reaction forces, who found the suspicious person after a close search, faced him down with consistent movements.

“One suspicious person captured! To be transferred to main building!” The training ended with a report radioed by the signalman after the intelligence analysis team had performed identity confirmation.

But the mission of the quick reaction forces was not over yet. The soldiers patrolled every corner of the unit while thoroughly checking the boundary fence. Staff Sergeant Woo Sang-hyun, who first enlisted as a soldier and is now on active duty as a noncommissioned officer, pledged to focus on complete combat readiness to promptly respond to any situation, commenting “I share my experience of security operations and knowhow with successors, with a sense of duty to the northernmost waters of the East Sea.”

Most of the officials of the 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard live in the barracks, in order to consider the civilian control line as a geographical characteristic, and take prompt action in emergency situations. The service members carry out their mission with the belief that ‘we are one family’ even in a difficult condition of living away from their families.

“Based on the unit’s guidelines to ‘make the mission complete and treat fellow soldiers kindly,' our crews are striving to defend the East Sea. We will protect the safety of the people through 24-hour maritime surveillance,” said Hwang Gyu-ho, commander of the 241 Maritime Radar Surveillance Guard.

By Sung-su, No  < nss1234@dema.mil.kr >

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