US conduct military training

U.S. troops in South Korea on Tuesday (February 26) took part in an obstacle course as part of an air assault training programme amid tensions on the peninsula following North Korea's third nuclear test earlier this month.

About 250 soldiers and Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) troops from across the division are taking part in the two-week course, focused on combat air assault operations.

The course includes classroom instruction, an obstacle course, route marches, helicopter sling-load training and rappelling from a wall and helicopter to earn the coveted Air Assault badge.

The U.S. army's Second Infantry Division holds the training at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, north of Seoul, led by trainers from Fort Benning, Georgia, from February 25 to March 8.

The United States has about 30,000 troops in South Korea to support the country's 650,000-strong armed forces. Neighbouring North Korea has some 1.2 million troops, mostly stationed along the border.