Allied field exercises begin as civil defense drills end

The ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. exercise entered its second, military-focused phase on Monday, following the conclusion of the Ulchi civil defense exercise the previous week.

K-9 howitzers from the South Korean Army's 7th Artillery Brigade fire shells during a joint field training drill by South Korean and U.S. militaries in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on Monday. [YONHAP]

The ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. exercise entered its second, military-focused phase on Monday, following the conclusion of the Ulchi civil defense exercise the previous week.

The remaining joint drills by the South Korean and U.S. militaries, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are due to run until Thursday.

According to South Korean military officials, daytime and nighttime drills by the allied militaries over the four-day period from Monday to Thursday could also involve U.S. strategic assets, such as B-1B supersonic bombers.

The remaining exercise also includes large-scale outdoor field drills and training by U.S. Space Forces Korea to predict and track the trajectories of North Korean missiles using intelligence assets, including reconnaissance satellites.

“We will demonstrate the allies’ strong willpower and bolster our joint operations capabilities so that we can overwhelmingly respond to any provocation by North Korea,” according to a South Korean military official who spoke on condition of anonymity to reporters.

South Korean and U.S. Navy special commandos train during a joint field drill at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on Friday. [REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY]

Earlier on Friday, South Korean and U.S. Navy special commandos began joint field drills at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, to strengthen their readiness against the North’s advancing military threats.

The drills include training for special reconnaissance operations, casualty treatment and responding to unexpected military contingencies, according to the South Korean Navy.

“Our special operations unit will strengthen their decisive warfare posture and combined defense preparedness through realistic training programs to ensure that it can accomplish its mission without fail under any circumstances,” the Navy’s press release said.

The allies’ special operations units will continue training for maritime and overland infiltration and strike operations through September, the Navy said.

Both militaries are also currently involved in recovering debris from the North’s latest attempted satellite launch, which failed after it flew south past Jeju Island on Thursday.

According to the North’s state media, the latest Chollima-1 space launch vehicle (SLV) was mounted with a military reconnaissance satellite, named Malligyong-1.

A section of the previous Chollima-1 SLV, which also broke up and fell into the sea shortly after its launch in May, was recovered by South Korean forces in June.

Meanwhile, a South Korean naval detachment departed Monday on a 141-day training mission that will take them on a 55,600-kilometer (34,550-mile) journey to 14 ports in 13 countries.

Cadets wave to the Navy's Hansando training vessel as it leaves Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, on Monday. [REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY]

According to the Navy, a total of 151 graduating cadets at the Naval Academy and 500 crew members are participating in the mission, which consists of the 4,500-ton Hansando training vessel and the 4,200-ton Hwacheon logistic ship.

The cadets are scheduled to make their first port call in Hawaii before marking their way to 13 countries, including the United States, Germany, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India, before they make their final stop in Yokosuka, Japan. The sailors will return home on Jan. 15.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]