US-Korea Marine Corps, KMEP Joint Infantry Training "Fostering Combined Combat Capability"

The Republic of Korea Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps announced on the 12th that they conducted a joint infantry training as part of the first 2025 KMEP (Korea Marine Exercise Program) training from the 3rd at training grounds around Gimpo and Ganghwa.

About 440 personnel participated in this training, including one battalion from the ROK Marine Corps 2nd Division and one company from the U.S. Marine Corps III Marine Expeditionary Force (III-MEF). The purpose of this training was to cultivate the combined combat capabilities of the ROK and U.S. Marine Corps through training tasks for key wartime operational phases such as mountain and deep operations.

In particular, based on wartime operational plans, the training was structured in phases with company-level tactical training and mountain warfare training, considering the missions of each unit such as infantry and weapons companies, to enhance the completeness of joint operation procedures and mission execution.

During the first week’s “company-level tactical training” phase, joint platoons were formed to promote mutual understanding and camaraderie between the ROK and U.S. Marine Corps. The training units wore MILES equipment and were deployed to the mountain training grounds to conduct day and night deep operations, enhancing real combat senses through bilateral free maneuver engagements between defense (holding defensive positions by each unit) and offensive operations (breaking through enemy positions and securing assigned objective areas).

In the second week’s “mountain warfare training” phase, combat endurance was strengthened through daily rapid marches of 3 km on mountain trails, and combat skills for overcoming mountainous terrain were intensively practiced through rappelling, single-rope crossing, and pass rope training to overcome various terrain features such as cliffs and valleys.

After the training, ROK and U.S. Marine Corps personnel gathered in one place to conduct a post-training debrief, analyzing and supplementing identified shortcomings during the training and deriving development plans, thereby further enhancing the training outcomes.

Corporal Lee Won-jun, who participated in the training, said, “Under the name of the Marine Corps, we shared each other’s thoughts and experiences and personally felt the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance,” adding, “Based on the confidence and pride gained from this training, I will become a Marine Corps member who is a pride of the Republic of Korea.”

U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant Aaron, the deputy platoon commander, stated, “It was an opportunity to improve joint operation capabilities by sharing mutual combat skills, tactical procedures, and experiences between the ROK and U.S. Marine Corps,” and added, “We will continue to advance as partners who jointly protect peace on the Korean Peninsula.”