As a severe cold snap continues to grip South Korea, the military is pressing ahead with cold-weather training drills to maintain operational readiness in extreme conditions.

Navy deep-sea divers shout slogans in the water during cold-weather endurance training at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae District, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Navy deep-sea divers shout slogans in the water during cold-weather endurance training at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae District, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Navy deep-sea divers from the SSU unit sing military songs at full voice during cold-weather training at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. The temperature in Jinhae fell to minus 6 degrees Celsius, with wind chills dropping to minus 11 degrees. (Yonhap)
Navy deep-sea divers from the SSU unit sing military songs at full voice during cold-weather training at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. The temperature in Jinhae fell to minus 6 degrees Celsius, with wind chills dropping to minus 11 degrees. (Yonhap)

The Army Special Warfare Command said Thursday that it has been conducting snow and cold-weather survival training at a winter training site in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province, since January, with the drills set to continue through February.

Each unit undergoes an intensive 11-night, 12-day schedule designed to build endurance and combat capability in deep snow and subzero temperatures.

Soldiers of the Army Special Warfare Command are carrying out a special strike operation during snow and cold weather training in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province, on Thursday, with each unit following an 11-night, 12-day schedule. (Yonhap)
Soldiers of the Army Special Warfare Command are carrying out a special strike operation during snow and cold weather training in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province, on Thursday, with each unit following an 11-night, 12-day schedule. (Yonhap)
Soldiers of the Army Special Warfare Command use multifunction observation devices to monitor the movement of key targets during a cold-weather drill in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Soldiers of the Army Special Warfare Command use multifunction observation devices to monitor the movement of key targets during a cold-weather drill in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)

The Navy is also carrying out wintertime exercises during the ongoing cold wave. Deep-sea divers from the elite Sea Salvage & Rescue Unit are participating in a four-day drill that began Tuesday at a major naval base in Jinhae, about 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Navy deep-sea divers from the SSU unit conduct cold-weather training, entering the water at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Navy deep-sea divers from the SSU unit conduct cold-weather training, entering the water at Jinhae Naval Port in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Around 70 divers are taking part in the training, which focuses on overcoming cold-weather conditions and reinforcing readiness for winter rescue and salvage operations. The exercise includes familiarization with various underwater scenarios, as well as group sea swimming and paddling drills in frigid waters. (From Yonhap and news reports)


khnews@heraldcorp.com