Royal Marines return to Korean Peninsula for major exercise

Alongside the US Navy and Marines and Republic of Korea Navy and Marines, the UK Commando Force is taking part in the biannual Exercise Ssang Yong – meaning ‘twin dragons’ – which strengthens allies’ ability to fight and win together.

Marines of Taunton-based 40 Commando arrive in South Korea fresh from an exercise in which they carried out raids in Australia’s Northern Territory as they further established their presence in the Indo-Pacific.

Alpha Company lead the way for the Commando Force as Ssang Yong takes place along South Korea’s east coast and around the Pohang area on the Sea of Japan. 

The Commandos have already carried out raiding rehearsals in preparation for the main phases of Ssang Yong alongside US Marines assigned to the Reconnaissance Company, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Republic of Korea Marines with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.

With the exercise now in full swing, the British contingent are involved in amphibious and air assaults to secure objectives, carrying out raids ahead of the main forces and guiding aircraft to targets on the ground.

A ‘decisive action’ phase next week will see large-scale manoeuvres from sea and air to showcase the overwhelming power the allies can bring to bear, namely on complex amphibious operations.

The exercise runs across 13 days – August 26 to September 7 – and includes more than 40 ships, 40 aircraft, including F-35B Lightning jets, and 40 Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles. 

Royal Marines took part in their first Ssang Yong last year as they returned to the Korean Peninsula for the first time since the Korean War, during which Royal Marines of 41 Independent Commando saw action as far north as Lake Chosin and carried out amphibious raids behind North Korean lines between 1950 and 1951.

40 Commando have been focused on deployments east of the Suez Canal for the past two years, having been deployed in Australia across the summer for Exercise Predators Run.

The Somerset-based unit went more than 400 miles into the outback of the Northern Territory as they spearheaded allied forces taking part in a major show of strength.

It was part of a regular deployment Down Under, which in recent years has also coupled with jungle training in Belize.