This photo, provided by the Marine Corps on July 6, 2016, shows South Korea’s K-1 tanks conducting a live-fire drill in Pohang on the southeast coast the previous day as part of a South Korea-U.S. joint marine infiltration and attack exercise, which kicked off on June 27 for an 18-day run with 800 South Korean and 500 U.S. marine forces participating. (Yonhap)
Al Jazeera has recently published an article about their visit to a ROK Marine Corps base along the maritime border with North Korea. The article has a few interesting facts to include that the ROK Marines has the second highest number of amphibious assault vehicles in the world:
Marines watch a performance by K-pop band La Boum [Joel Lawrence/Al Jazeera]Our next stop was a marine battalion operating amphibious landing vehicles known as KAAVs – Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles – a variant of the American AAV7 and an asset essential for its core mission of landing on an enemy’s shore.
A KAAV can transport as many as 21 troops and run 480km on land, or stay in the sea up to seven hours.
South Korea’s Marine Corps has about 160 KAAVs in total, the second-largest contingent of such landing vehicles in the world after the United States. [Al Jazeera]
South Korean and U.S. marines run through a snow-covered field carrying each other over their shoulders at a mountain training center in Pyeongchang, east of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2016. The marines from the two countries conducted the joint drill, set in extreme cold winter conditions, to enhance their combined military capability. The U.S. maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap)
Shown in this photo dated Dec. 29, 2015, is a helicopter tailored for the Marines, developed by the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The chopper, based on the KAI-developed Surion, was built for amphibious operations to support airlifting of troops and equipment between ship and shore. KAI said it will start full production of the new choppers in the first half of next year, aiming to sell 1,000 units at home and abroad over the next 20 years. (Photo provided by KAI) (Yonhap)
South Korean Marines engage in a shooting drill at a training camp in the western border town of Gimpo on Sept. 17, 2015, as part of a three-week joint exercise. The drill involving 500 South Korean Marines and 600 from the Third U.S. Marine Division, is aimed at improving their combat readiness and boosting joint combat skills. (Yonhap)
A South Korean Marine shows his camaraderie by pouring water on a U.S. Marine’s head to beat the heat at a training camp in the western border town of Gimpo on Sept. 17, 2015, after finishing their training as part of a three-week joint exercise. The drill involving 500 South Korean Marines and 600 from the Third U.S. Marine Division, is aimed at improving their combat readiness and boosting joint combat skills. (Yonhap)
South Korea and the United States plan to stage a joint landing drill here late this month, with three U.S. amphibious ships participating, officers said Wednesday.
Starting at the end of this month, the Marine Corps and the navies of the two nations are scheduled to hold the annual landing drill of Ssangyong in South Korea’s southern port city of Pohang “to boost capabilities of conducting the full spectrum of a combined arms, amphibious landing operation,” a military officer said.
Though the exact scale of the planned exercise is not known, officers say some 1,000 U.S. Marines and 3,000 South Koreans are to take part in the drill, which is expected to last less than a week, together with the three U.S. amphibious vessels.
“The U.S. plans to send the 25,000-ton USS Green Bay transport dock, the 41,000-ton USS Bonhomme Richard assault ship and the 15,000-ton USS Ashland dock landing ship for the exercise,” another officer said.
The Green Bay, which takes on the design for stealth capabilities, is able to deliver a fully equipped battalion of 800 Marines. It is the first time that the San Antonio-class ship has taken part in the joint drill. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but I would like to see the anti-US leftists try and stab these guys like they did the US ambassador.
South Korean and Thai Marines hold a joint search drill as part of the Cobra Gold 2015 at a Thai Marine training center in Thailand on Feb. 11, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Marine Corps) (Yonhap)
Good luck to Kim Sang-a as she takes on the rigors of becoming a ROK Marine Corps officer:
Kim Sang-a, 24, a sophomore at Jeju National University, has become the first female Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet for the Marine Corps. She will start to receive her training and education next month.
Until recently, female students have not been allowed to apply for the ROTC for the Marine Corps.
Kim, studying in the Department of Marine Industrial and Maritime Police, passed the ROTC screening test in June and completed her two-week military training on Jan. 16 at a Marine boot camp in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.
Kim’s cadet enlistment ceremony is scheduled for Feb 17.
“Becoming a soldier was my dream,” Kim said.
Born and bred in Seoul, Kim entered the university on Jeju Island to become a female ROTC cadet. [Korea Times via KoreAm Journal]
A participant frowns during training in the 2015 Marine Corps Winter Camp at Dogu Beach in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province on Wednesday. [KBS Global]
