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Navy, Marine Corps conduct amphibious landing drills in Pohang

Published: 27 Apr. 2026, 08:50

The Navy Corps' landing vehicles march forward during the Navy and the Marine Corps' regular amphibious landing exercise on April 27. [NEWS1]

The Navy and Marine Corps launched a weeklong regular amphibious landing exercise in Pohang, South Gyeongsang, last week to maintain combat readiness against evolving threats in future warfare, the armed services said Monday.

Some 3,200 troops were deployed for the drills set to run through Thursday in coastal areas in Pohang, according to the Navy and Marine Corps.

The troops held the "decisive action" phase of the exercise on Monday, which proceeded with amphibious assault drills in a coastal area with landing ships, transport aircraft and helicopters, as naval warships and attack helicopters provided cover.

An array of military assets was deployed for the drills, ranging from the KF-16 fighter jet and the P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft to some 20 naval vessels, including the ROKS Marado amphibious assault ship.

To factor in changes in modern warfare, this year's exercise incorporated various manned and unmanned assets, including drones, and surveillance assets for coastal surveillance and ground operations, the armed services said.

Soldiers go on board the LST-II landing ship during the Navy and the Marine Corps' regular amphibious landing exercise on April 27. [REPUBLIC OF KOREA MARINE CORPS]

For the first time, a New Zealand army platoon was assigned to a landing unit to train alongside Korean Marine troops. A team from the U.S. 7th Fleet also joined Marine warfare drills conducted as part of the amphibious landing drills.

Yonhap