Yoon Hosts Joint and Combined Firepower Annihilation Exercise Held for the First Time in 6 Years

75th Anniversary of Founding and 70th Anniversary of ROK-US Alliance Commemoration at Largest Scale
Yoon Greets Citizens and Encourages Troops After Observing Training

President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over the '2023 Combined Firepower Annihilation Exercise' held on the 15th for the first time in six years. This exercise, a national-level drill held for the first time since 2017, was conducted on the largest scale ever to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the nation and the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

On the same day, President Yoon visited the Seungjin Training Ground in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, in the afternoon to personally oversee and observe the 2023 Combined Firepower Annihilation Exercise. The exercise involved approximately 610 advanced military assets, including South Korea’s F-35A, K9 self-propelled howitzers, and the U.S.’s F-16 and Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles, along with 2,500 South Korean and U.S. troops from 71 units.

Kim Eun-hye, Chief of Public Relations, stated at a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that the exercise was "an opportunity to test operational capabilities to realize peace through strength by applying scenarios of North Korean provocations," emphasizing that "the training ground was established by the U.S. military and developed by us. It holds special significance as it symbolizes the 70 years of the South Korea-U.S. alliance."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The exercise began with a report from Lieutenant General Kim Seong-min, commander of the 5th Corps, and proceeded in two parts: Part 1 focused on responding to and repelling North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, and Part 2 involved counterattack operations. In Part 1, in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and full-scale attacks, live-fire exercises were conducted involving combined air power and firepower such as K-9 and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers. Reconnaissance drones assessed the battlefield situation, followed by live-fire from attack helicopters, artillery, and direct-fire weapons to repel North Korean attacks around the GOP (General Outpost) area.

In Part 2, the counterattack operation aimed to completely annihilate North Korea’s military threats by conducting precision strikes on key targets identified by combined South Korea-U.S. surveillance and reconnaissance assets using air and artillery power to create favorable conditions for counterattack. Subsequently, the operation proceeded with ground attack units’ maneuvering and firing, overcoming obstacle zones, simultaneous integrated fire by combined South Korea-U.S. joint forces to obliterate enemy units and positions, and securing target areas by three-dimensional rapid maneuver units. The exercise concluded with a review parade by South Korean and U.S. troops.

After the exercise, President Yoon moved to the external viewing platform to greet the observing citizens and encourage the representative soldiers who participated in the exercise. He then proceeded to the exhibition hall in front of the viewing platform, signed the guestbook, and observed key weapon systems and equipment of both South Korean and U.S. forces, including South Korea’s K-808 wheeled armored vehicle, unmanned weapon systems, Chunmoo, Cheongung, and the U.S.’s MLRS. The schedule ended with a commemorative photo session with senior military officials and participating soldiers.

The Combined Firepower Annihilation Exercise was attended by 300 members of the public recruited through open application, key military officials from South Korea and the U.S., members of the National Assembly, as well as civilian members of the Defense Innovation Committee?Kim Kwan-jin, Kim Seung-joo, Kim Pan-gyu, Lee Seung-seop, Ha Tae-jung, Lee Geon-wan?appointed last month, and defense industry representatives, totaling over 2,000 participants.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Presidential Office responded to a reporter’s question at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon about whether President Yoon had a separate message for the 24th anniversary of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong victory and the 23rd anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, saying, "I do not think peace and military exercises are contradictory concepts."

The official added, "President Yoon has long emphasized easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and peace with North Korea, and I do not believe there is a conflict in the national duty to protect the safety of the people and their lives and property from missile provocations."

Earlier that morning, President Yoon posted on Facebook commemorating the 24th anniversary of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong victory, stating, "Only our overwhelming strength will bring true peace, not the fake peace that begs the enemy."

At the '2023 Combined Firepower Annihilation Exercise' held on the 15th under the auspices of President Yoon Suk-yeol, an F-35A is firing flares.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the '2023 Combined Joint Firepower Annihilation Exercise' held on the 15th under the auspices of President Yoon Suk-yeol, MLRS (M270, multiple launch rocket system) was fired simultaneously in an integrated shooting.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.