South Korean and US marines hold a joint drill in San Antonio, Zambales province, Philippines. Photo by FRANCIS R. MALASIG / EPA
June 30 (Asia Today) — South Korean Marines have joined U.S., Philippine and Japanese forces in a multinational exercise in the Philippines, conducting amphibious operations, reconnaissance missions and humanitarian assistance training in an unfamiliar operating environment.
The South Korean contingent has participated in KAMANDAG 10 on the Philippine island of Luzon since June 14 and will continue training through Wednesday, the Marine Corps said Tuesday.
The exercise strengthens maritime security, coastal defense, multinational interoperability and humanitarian and disaster-response capabilities. KAMANDAG is derived from the Filipino phrase Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat, meaning “Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea.”
The Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps have conducted the annual exercise since 2017. South Korea has sent a company-sized contingent each year since 2022 at the invitation of the two countries.
This year’s participating countries are South Korea, the United States, the Philippines and Japan. Canada, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Thailand and Bahrain sent observers.
South Korea organized its contingent into a rifle company, reconnaissance team, sniper section and technical exchange team.
The rifle company conducted marksmanship and amphibious operations training with forces from the other participating countries. The reconnaissance team focused on jungle and maritime reconnaissance, jungle survival skills and seaborne infiltration using inflatable boats.
The South Korean contingent also conducted live-fire training with a 12.7 mm anti-materiel rifle for the first time during the exercise, improving its ability to carry out precision strikes in multinational operations.
South Korean Marines formed a combined command post with the participating forces and conducted staff exercises to strengthen command-and-control procedures and interoperability.
Maintenance specialists also shared operating and maintenance expertise for Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles, or KAAVs, and other military vehicles with the Philippine Marine Corps.
The Philippines ordered eight KAAVs from South Korea in 2016 and continues to operate the vehicles. South Korea has provided related training to Philippine personnel since 2022.
“We were able to exchange tactics with the South Korean Marines in jungle terrain and other environments while completing a variety of training missions,” Philippine Marine Corps 1st Lt. Mark Joel L. Bucayu said.
“I hope the relationship between our two Marine Corps continues to grow, just as we trained together with one purpose,” Bucayu said.
Maj. Jeon Yun-ki, commander of the South Korean training contingent, said the exercise improved the unit’s ability to operate under different conditions.
“KAMANDAG gave us the capability and readiness to complete our missions in any environment, at home or abroad,” Jeon said. “We will do our utmost to fulfill the Marine Corps’ mission with pride in representing South Korea.”
The South Korean Marine Corps also plans to participate this year in a combined-arms exercise in the United States, Super Garuda Shield in Indonesia and Khaan Quest in Mongolia.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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