Military authorities said on the 12th that the armed forces of South Korea and the United States conducted training to eliminate weapons of mass destruction (WMD) including nuclear weapons in the event of an emergency infiltration by North Korea.
According to the authorities, the 25th Infantry Division of the Army, the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S., and the Korea-U.S. Combined Division held the 'Freedom Shield' (FS) joint exercise on the 12th at the Mugunri training ground in Paju, South Korea, as part of a joint 'WMD elimination training.'
This training is designed to develop the ability to eliminate WMD, consisting of nuclear, chemical, biological, and radiological weapons capable of mass destruction. About 500 South Korean and U.S. troops and over 50 pieces of equipment, including armed drones, were deployed. The training, which included a mock opposing force of one company inside and outside WMD facilities, created an environment similar to a real battlefield with ongoing exchanges of fire.
The special operations unit of the 25th Division, tasked with securing the facility, identified the precise locations, sizes, and stationed troops of suspected facilities using drones and reconnaissance UAVs. They then used armed drones, anti-tank missiles, and 81mm mortars to eliminate surrounding enemies and secure the facility. Subsequently, a joint South Korea-U.S. WMD response team, involving units from the U.S. Striker Brigade, entered the facility to eliminate the enemies and complete the mission of securing WMD.
Major Gu Ha-rim, who participated in the training, noted, "It was a valuable opportunity for the armed forces of South Korea and the United States to share know-how and enhance joint operational capabilities."
Meanwhile, the 25th Division plans to analyze the results of this training to derive ways to utilize unmanned and manned combined combat systems and advance joint operations.