Jeju: South Korean and U.S. troops have conducted combined special operations training sessions aimed at sharpening their interoperability against North Korea's threats, including "gray zone" provocations, officials said Thursday. The regular exercise took place on the southern island of Jeju from May 7-23 and comprised sessions on honing troops' small unit tactics, forensics, cyber as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear material identification capabilities, according to the U.S. Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Brig. Gen. Derek Lipson, commander of SOCKOR, emphasized the importance of the exercise. "Our first priority is to ensure the defense of our homelands," he stated, highlighting the ongoing commitment to maintaining a ready, capable, and combined special operations force. This force aims to deter aggression, compete below the level of armed conflict, and prevail in crisis or conflict if adversaries miscalculate the commitment to a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region.
The exercise occurred against the backdrop of Pyongyang's continued military provocations, including the launches of short-range ballistic missiles on May 8 and cruise missiles on May 22.