S. Korean Special Naval Forces Holding Wintertime Drills - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The South Korean navy is holding a wintertime training for its special force units to improve their combat capabilities against threats allegedly posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Wednesday, citing navy sources.

The drills are taking place on the eastern coast of Gangwon Province, with South Korea's underwater demolition team and navy sea, air, and land teams involved in the training, the sources told the news agency. The special warfare units are reportedly practicing a maritime infiltration in the East China Sea and mobility skills at mountainous sites and in snowfields.

The information about the 10-day exercise launched back on January 16 was made public immediately after North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea earlier in the day, although no official statements has been made by Seoul to date. The morning developments marked the first cruise missile launch by North Korea since September 2023, Yonhap reported.

Last week, North Korea also tested an underwater nuclear weapon system in response to joint military drills by South Korea, the United States and Japan.