S. Korean, U.S. forces hold drill to remove N. Korea’s WMDs

S. Korean, U.S. forces hold drill to remove N. Korea’s WMDs. December. 18, 2017 07:57. by Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com.

The South Korean and U.S. forces held a joint drill for infiltrating North Korea and removing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), amid growing talk of possible military options on North Korea in Washington. The joint exercise is one that is conducted regularly three or four times a year, but this time drew much attention due to the grave circumstances and heightened tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

According the U.S. Forces Korea on Sunday, beginning this past Tuesday, more than 100 soldiers from South Korean military and the U.S. Forces Korea’s second division finished a four-day drill called “Warrior Strike” at military bases in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province. The drill is aimed at enhancing operational capabilities of the allied forces to infiltrate North Korea and quickly identify and secure chemical and nuclear weapons, in case of emergency on the Korean Peninsula. The two allies reportedly conducted a drill to prepare for the North Korean dictator’s possible hiding of its nuclear weapons in case the allied forces launch a preemptive strike.

“If it were attacked, North Korea will likely to direct its all energy to fire back after staging the proliferation and relocating the North’s nuclear weapons to its allies, rather than using it immediately,” said military sources. “To end a war early, we have to remove the North Korean leadership, who will direct the transfer of the nuclear weapons, at once and then secure the arsenal.”

The U.S. Forces Korea said on Friday that Gen. Jung Kyung-doo, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, visited the U.S. Chemical Battalion and South Korean Command for chemical, biological and radiological protection to prepare for North Korea’s tunneling underground and check military readiness against the threat of WMDs.