US-ROK Joint Special Operations Training... US Special Forces Deploy to the Korean Peninsula

Sharing Operational Combat Techniques at the Special Warfare School

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 19th that the ROK-US special operations forces have been conducting joint special operations training since the 18th at locations including the Special Warfare School training grounds. It is unusual for scenes of special operations training to be disclosed, leading to speculation that the ROK-US forces may have conducted training in preparation for a so-called decapitation operation aimed at eliminating North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and other North Korean top officials.

Soldiers from the ROK-US Special Operations Forces are conducting core area clearing tactics training as part of joint special operations training at the Special Warfare School training ground. (Photo by Joint Chiefs of Staff)

For this training, personnel from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command were pre-deployed to the Korean Peninsula. Through this joint special operations training, the ROK-US special operations forces are focusing on sharing combat shooting skills, internal clearing tactics of key areas, and other special operations combat techniques, as well as enhancing interoperability.

Meanwhile, on the previous day, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik appeared on MBN's 'News 7' and was asked whether they could conduct decapitation operation training or deploy additional strategic assets, which Kim Jong-un fears the most. He responded, "It is difficult to speak publicly about decapitation (operation training)," but added, "Both options are being considered." However, a military official drew a line by stating that the training disclosed that day is not directly related to decapitation operation training.

Meanwhile, the United States Forces Korea recently revealed online that the U.S. Special Operations Command Korea's Green Berets and Navy SEALs participated in a two-week joint training exercise with the Republic of Korea Special Warfare Command and others.

A USFK official explained, "This training is part of regular exercises aimed at strengthening the priority of mutual defense between the US and South Korean forces in the region and performing the role of integrated deterrence."