Marines begin massive drills
By Yi Whan-woo
The Marine Corps said Thursday that it has begun massive exercises on Baengnyeong Island near the western inter-Korean maritime border beginning Tuesday.
Led by the Northwest Islands Defense Command, the three-day drill involved all troops and combat assets of the 6th Marine Brigade, including AH-1S Cobra attack choppers, Korea Amphibious Assault Vehicles and M48A3K battle tanks.
The drill took place partly in response to North Korea’s simulated invasion of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong islands, both in the West Sea, in late August.
The two islands are strategically critical in defending Seoul and the surrounding areas from the North. They have been the locations of several military exchanges.
The Marine Corps will conduct a separate exercise on Yeonpyeong Island later this month.
“The three-day exercise was held day and night by taking North Korea’s latest simulated raid of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong islands as a possibility of a direct provocation, rather than routine training,” the Marine Corps said. “We’re ready to punish any possible provocations and will ensure that the enemy will not step into our territory.”
The exercise especially checked its combat readiness posture by assuming various possible circumstances during the war, such as destruction of facilities, enemy infiltration, massive casualties and chemical attacks.
On Aug. 26, Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting his special forces engaging in a simulated invasion of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong islands.