South Korean, US Marines stage drill near North Korea

South Korean and U.S. Marines held a joint maritime infiltration drill near the South's border island as part of efforts to boost joint combat readiness and interoperability, official media reported Tuesday.
Some 200 South Korean Marines and some 20 American service personnel stationed in Japan participated in the exercise in waters off Ganghwa Island in the Yellow Sea, where they sneaked into virtual camps of enemies, attacked targets and escaped from the sites, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported, citing South Korea's Marine Corps.
It is the first time that the two Marines carried out the drill in the region adjacent to the North, said Marine Corps.
Tuesday's infiltration exercise is part of the ongoing Korea Marine Exercise Program, combined training exercise in order to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the two countries' Marine forces.
After staging joint field maneuvers and tactical trainings in South Korea's alpine city of Pyeongchang in January, the two sides moved to the western border areas to stage the comprehensive strategy drill until Friday.
"As the Ganghwa Island region is notorious for strong underwater currents and low visibility, the successful drill here would help bolster our capabilities and to boost pride," said Capt. Baek Sang-min, a participant in the drill.
Meanwhile, Marine Corps of the two countries plan to conduct their annual landing drill next month, it said, adding some 1,000 US marines and 3,000 South Koreans are to take part in the exercise.