Kim Jong-un, Are You Watching... Marine Corps Conducts Naval Firing Drill in Northwest Islands

The Marine Corps protecting the northwestern islands conducted a maritime firing exercise. It has been 71 days since the Marine Corps last conducted a maritime firing exercise on the northwestern islands using K-9 self-propelled howitzers and other equipment on June 26.

According to the Northwestern Islands Defense Command on the 5th, the 6th Marine Brigade (Baengnyeongdo) and Yeonpyeong Unit conducted maritime firing exercises in their respective operational areas. This firing exercise was an annual and defensive training, with a total of about 390 rounds fired, involving K-9 self-propelled howitzers and the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher.

The 6th Marine Brigade and Yeonpyeong Unit under the Northwest Islands Defense Command conducting naval firing exercises in their respective operational areas last June.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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During the firing exercise, public safety measures were implemented, including navigation warnings, safety text message dispatches, training announcement broadcasts, and deployment of resident evacuation guidance teams to ensure the safety of local residents.

The Marine Corps stated, "The Northwestern Islands Defense Command will continue to enhance the Marine Corps' firepower operation capabilities and firmly maintain military readiness through regular maritime firing exercises."

The maritime firing exercises on the northwestern islands had been suspended since the 2018 September 19 Military Agreement during the Moon Jae-in administration, which designated the waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) as a buffer zone.

However, in January of this year, when North Korea conducted maritime firing within the buffer zone near the West Sea NLL, the South Korean Marine Corps conducted a one-time maritime firing exercise on the northwestern islands as a countermeasure. After subsequent complex provocations such as the release of sewage balloons, the government decided to suspend the military agreement, and the Marine Corps resumed training.

North Korea does not recognize the West Sea NLL and sets its jurisdictional maritime area south of it, making it sensitive to the K-9 firing exercises conducted by the northwestern islands Marine units. On November 23, 2010, North Korea used the K-9 firing exercise by the Yeonpyeong Marine Unit as a pretext to shell with 122mm multiple rocket launchers, resulting in the deaths of four Marines and civilians.

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