Special forces undergo extreme winter drills

Special forces undergo extreme winter drills

Special agents practice maneuvering on hand-made wooden skis with one pole on the first day of the New Year’s winter drill held on snowy and chilly terrain in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, Tuesday. / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul By Shim hyun-chul Freezing winter temperatures are no excuse for Special Forces soldiers in their sleek black berets to skip the brutal military training. With the thermometer hovering around minus 20 degrees Celsius, shirtless soldiers break the thick ice and submerge themselves in the icy water without a moment of hesitation. One team is given a mission to infiltrate enemy territory, while the other team carries out the task of building shelters, ambushing and deterring enemies in a surprise attack in the snow-covered mountain. Troops of the Special Warfare Command have begun their nine days of grueling training in the mountains of northeastern Gangwon Province. Their winter exercise also includes combat skiing in full gear weighing more than 30 kilograms. The snowy survival drill is held every year to improve the ability of the Special Forces to function in extreme weather. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Sang-Ki also participated in the exercise, eating MREs (meal, ready to eat) and skiing together with the young soldiers, in an attempt to boost the morale of the Special Forces troops. “I’m here today, to be one of you, Special Forces soldiers, and to undergo training together,” Gen. Kim said. He also pledged to revamp the country’s Army into a combat-oriented one, capable of immediately countering and neutralizing North Korea’s possible armed provocations.