[Military Story] Visiting the High-Intensity Training Site of Special Forces in Jeju Island

Special Forces Undergo 4 Weeks of Intensive Training in Jeju Island
Honing Special Combat Skills to Suppress Enemies Using Various Weapons

Shin Won-sik, the Minister of National Defense, visited the Army Special Warfare Command (SWC) after taking office. It was the first time in eight years that a sitting minister had done so. The SWC was established in April 1958, originating from the 1st Combat Group. Since then, it has led a total of 12 anti-espionage operations, including the 1968 Uljin-Samcheok armed communist guerrilla suppression operation and the 1996 Gangneung anti-espionage operation. The SWC can be considered the command center of South Korea’s special forces. It is regarded as an elite unit. When irregular warfare occurs, it is deployed to the operational area to suppress the enemy in a short time. To observe the training of the Black Panther unit under the SWC, the author visited the SWC Jeju Island training ground located in Jeju City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, on April 1, the founding day of the SWC.

On National Road 1117 heading toward Hallasan National Park, cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The feeling of spring was brief, as a small signboard about the size of a forearm caught the eye: SWC Jeju Island Training Ground. At the entrance to the training ground, soldiers wearing berets and sunglasses blocked the reporter. The unique tension of the SWC lingered in the air. Upon entering the unit, SWC soldiers were intensely focused on training in an area about the size of an elementary school playground. These were soldiers from the 13th Special Mission Brigade located in Chungbuk. The soldiers stay on Jeju Island for a month, undergoing four weeks of high-intensity training. They practice traversing Hallasan Mountain and prepare for operations against local provocations alongside the Marine Corps 6th Brigade.

About 100 soldiers were divided into four groups. They learned special combat martial arts for close-quarters combat. Special combat martial arts refer to techniques using weapons like bayonets or entrenching tools to subdue the enemy. The SWC transformed close combat techniques into a practical comprehensive martial art in 1978. One group was in the middle of striking training wearing boxing gloves. It looked like boxers training, but the striking points were different. Since they must subdue the enemy in a short moment, they targeted only vital points. The mitts, made of sponge and worn on the opponent’s forearms, emitted tearing sounds. To increase punching power, they relaxed their shoulders and used their waist strength to strike hard. Although their expressions were hidden behind sunglasses and face masks, their sweat-soaked uniforms and heavy breathing fully conveyed the intensity of the training.

In the middle of the playground, mock guns and swords were prepared. This was part of the special combat martial arts. Training was repeated on how to subdue an enemy who had detected them while holding a gun. “Hands up,” “Turn around.” The enemy began to be subdued by the SWC soldiers. It happened in an instant. The SWC soldier pushed the gun muzzle to the side and pulled the rifle stock to unbalance the enemy. The enemy holding the gun was subdued by the SWC soldier instead. It seemed like a perfect subjugation. However, the instructor’s scolding continued. The reason was that the subjugation was not done at a speed matching real combat. Punishments were also given. The SWC soldiers had to run at full speed across the playground until the end.

Training using swords continued. One group repeatedly practiced cutting and stabbing with wooden swords aimed at a person. The instructor’s scolding grew stronger. Since the soldiers had no experience stabbing a person directly, the training intensity was increased. The instructor emphasized, “Don’t just mimic cutting and stabbing; do it as if it were real combat.”

The soldiers targeted only vital points. When aiming for the heart, they stabbed with the palm facing upward, and when withdrawing the sword, the back of the hand faced upward. If the enemy was not subdued in one strike, it would hinder the surprise attack mission. The instructor corrected the strength of the wrist and the distance from the enemy one by one. After these trainings, they joined the final group. The last group had to engage in sword fights with the enemy. They had to learn how to dodge and counterattack with the sword. If the enemy aimed the blade at their heart and stabbed, they would use their shoulder to change the direction and counterattack. The training was repeated over and over. There is no other way but repetition to avoid panic in real combat. The SWC soldiers’ movements were fast. They dodged the opponent’s sword and continued counterattacks. It was like watching an action movie.

For SWC soldiers, rest time was individual physical training time. On one side of the playground, some soldiers ran carrying heavy iron weights inside ammunition boxes. They also flipped tires as tall as themselves and moved forward. They quickly climbed a 5-meter-high single rope using only arm strength. The training intensity was like that of national athletes.

Yoon Ki-ho, a special combat martial arts instructor (sergeant), said, “We repeat specialized training for more than three hours every day,” adding, “After four weeks of training, the SWC soldiers will become even stronger.”