S. Korea stages large-scale airborne landing drills

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military is conducting large-scale drills on airborne infiltrations and other wartime procedures in southern counties, officials said Thursday, as part of its ongoing regular exercise with the United States.

The Army and the Air Force mobilized some 1,500 troops and more than 30 aircraft, including the C-130H and CN-235 transport planes, in Jangseong, 252 kilometers south of Seoul, and Uiryeong, 274 km south of the capital. The five-day exercise runs through Friday.

Troops from the Army's 2nd Quick Response Division, the Aviation Operations Command and the Air Force's 5th Air Mobility Wing joined the drills.

On Tuesday, the Army division's reconnaissance troops parachuted into operational areas, using transport aircraft, while its combat support unit and the Air Force's special operations unit carried out cargo drops.

The next day, the division's paratroopers dropped from the Air Force's transporter aircraft to secure a landing spot. Some 400 troops then performed air assault operations.

Separately, some 100 South Korean and U.S. troops staged air assault drills Thursday in Paju, just northwest of Seoul. They involved six U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and a U.S. battalion employing the Stryker armored vehicle.

In addition, the South on the same day staged drills against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorist attacks at the Gangneung Hockey Center in the coastal city, 168 kilometers east of Seoul.

Some 20 CBRN response personnel from units under the Air Force, the Army and the Navy took part in the drills under the scenario of a suspected biochemical attack at the stadium.

These drills proceeded alongside the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise between the South and the U.S., which runs through March 23.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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