S. Korean forces to participate in WMD seeking exercises in the US

Posted on : 2014-06-06 13:50 KST Modified on : 2014-06-06 13:50 KST
First-ever S. Korean troop exercises in the US will focus on locating and eliminating weapons of mass destruction

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

The US and South Korean militaries will carry out exercises in the US to locate and eliminate nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction. With allegations being raised that the exercises presuppose a crisis in North Korea, a backlash from the North is expected.

The South Korean army released a statement on June 5 explaining that it would be carrying out joint exercises with US forces at the National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California, for around four weeks from June 9 to July 1. This is the first time that South Korean ground forces have taken part in joint exercises inside the US.

Around 170 soldiers will be participating in the exercises, including a company of mechanized infantry and a squad from the special forces. The purpose of the exercises, according to the army, is to improve the ability of troops to carry out joint operations in a realistic battlefield situation.

Significantly, a chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) unit will be joining in the exercises to seek out and dispose of WMDs, including nuclear, biological, and chemical devices. South Korean and US military authorities have often said that the key security concern during a sudden collapse in North Korea would be securing nuclear weapons and other WMDs. For this reason, these joint exercises appear to have been planned with an emergency situation in North Korea in mind.

“Since these exercises are tactical in nature, they do not presuppose any specific situation such as a crisis in North Korea,” a Ministry of National Defense official said on condition of anonymity. “These are standard exercises designed to help soldiers master battle command behavior according to various tactical training situations.”

However, South Korea and the US have been practicing the task of eliminating North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction, under the assumption of a drastic contingency situation in the North, during the Key Resolve joint military exercises since 2009. These exercises are based on the belief that there is a growing danger of nuclear development and nuclear proliferation by North Korea.

Military authorities expect that South Korea will be provided with US technology for locating and eliminating WMDs (nuclear, chemical, and biological) during the joint military exercises.

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