Largest-Ever ROK-U.S. Combined Exercise Conducted

Logistics Support Exercise Held for the First Time in 9 Years
Over 4,400 Troops Participate

The armed forces of South Korea and the United States conducted logistics support training to ensure operational sustainment capabilities on the Korean Peninsula in the event of an emergency. This year's exercise, held for the first time in nine years, is the largest ever.

According to the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command on July 15, the 2026 Combined Joint Sustainment Training (CJST) is being carried out from July 3 to July 16 in areas around Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and Hongcheon in Gangwon Province. A total of roughly 4,400 personnel (about 2,400 from the Republic of Korea, about 2,000 from the United States), along with approximately 600 pieces of equipment, including vessels and aircraft, are participating.

On the 20th, South Korean and U.S. soldiers are connecting a joint pontoon bridge during the combined arms cooperation river crossing training held at Seogeunso Training Ground near Imjingang in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province. This training, conducted as part of the first half of the 2025 South Korea-U.S. combined exercises, involved a total of approximately 600 soldiers from the Republic of Korea Army’s 5th and 7th Engineer Brigades, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, and the ROK-U.S. Combined Division. 2025.03.20 Photo by Joint Press Corps

This is a combined field training exercise (FTX) aimed at practicing the procedures for efficiently distributing personnel, equipment, and fuel, as well as other logistical materials, to combat units. The exercise is hosted by the Combined Forces Command and is held every other year. During this year's phase, the press was given access to observe the "Combined Joint Coastal Logistics Over-the-Shore Support," which simulated a scenario where port facilities are unavailable and equipment and supplies are landed from the sea to the shore at Dogu Beach, Pohang. This training was held for the first time in approximately nine years since 2017.

By utilizing South Korea's Joint Coastal Logistics Support System, which was introduced last year, the interoperability between the two militaries was tested by transporting equipment and supplies unloaded from U.S. vessels to the shore.

Logistical supplies brought onto land in Pohang were rapidly transported to the front-line combat units via land and rail routes, as well as by airlift. The exercise also included a combined joint medical support drill, assuming a situation in which there are 110 mass casualties among South Korean and U.S. personnel in coastal and inland areas. Patients were evacuated using the Medion (KUH-1M) medical evacuation helicopter, C-130 transport aircraft, Korea Railroad Corporation trains, and Fire Service helicopters. The exercise also involved a civil-military medical support system linked to Gangneung Asan Hospital, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, and Gangneung Station.

Major General Park Jinwon, Chief Logistics Officer of the Combined Forces Command, stated, "Through this exercise, we were able to maximize our sustainment capability across all domains—land, sea, and air. As sustainment is critical to achieving victory in war, we will continue to strengthen the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture through realistic joint exercises in the future."

Major General Frederick Kriest, Deputy Chief Logistics Officer of the Combined Forces Command, said, "This exercise demonstrated that the ROK-U.S. Alliance has the capability to project combat power across shorelines without port facilities, and for the first time, verified real interoperability by offloading cargo from a U.S. vessel using a South Korean system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.