US Marines conduct live-fire drills near inter-Korean border

U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan, have conducted combined live-fire exercises near the inter-Korean border as part of efforts to enhance combat readiness, according to the United States Indo-Pacific Command.

The drills were carried out by the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, located about 40 kilometres north of Seoul, as per Korean media reports.

According to a statement released by the command, the exercises took place from February 26 to March 4 and involved U.S. Marines integrating manoeuvre elements with reconnaissance capabilities to execute a coordinated assault on a designated objective.

The company-level drills were designed to strengthen the unit’s ability to “synchronise fires and movement in a dynamic training environment while enhancing combat effectiveness,” the statement said.

The live-fire training coincided with the participation of U.S. Marines based in Japan in joint exercises with South Korea’s Marine forces under the annual Korean Marine Exercise Program, held earlier this month.

By Tamilla Hasanova