Marine Corps Special Reconnaissance Brigade Conducts Winter Extreme Cold Weather Training Through End of Next Month

The Marine Corps Special Reconnaissance Brigade announced on January 16 that it will conduct the 2026 Winter Extreme Cold Weather Training in two phases until February 26, at the Pyeongchang Mountain Comprehensive Training Center and across the Gangwon, Gyeongbuk, and Incheon (Ganghwa) regions, aiming to enhance winter operational capabilities.

Approximately 360 personnel from the Special Reconnaissance Brigade and about 300 U.S. Marines, totaling around 660 Korean and U.S. Marines, are participating in this training. In addition, British Commando personnel also observed the exercises.

The training was conducted to improve the unique mission capabilities of reconnaissance units performing deep penetration operations in enemy territory during wartime operational environments. Specifically, the training was divided into winter specialty training, small unit tactical training, and long-distance armed marches as well as battalion-level tactical exercises.

In particular, during infiltration training into designated areas, combat experiments utilizing drones under winter conditions were conducted simultaneously. According to the Marine Corps, the real-time video and coordinate information provided by the drones helped ensure the survivability of the troops and verified the effectiveness of simultaneous operations by drones and reconnaissance units.

Private First Class Jung Ihan of the Special Reconnaissance Brigade, who participated in the extreme cold weather training, said, "Although there were difficult and challenging moments as it was my first time participating in the extreme cold weather training, I was able to overcome them with the strong Marine Corps spirit."