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Army special forces stage counterterrorism drills at Seoul baseball stadium

Published: 05 Mar. 2024, 19:45

Troops from the Korean Army Special Warfare Command participate in a counterterrorism exercise at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Tuesday. The drill, based on a scenario of armed terrorists taking hostages at the stadium, also involved personnel from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's special operations unit. It is part of a series of on-field drills in the ongoing Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the United States, which began Monday for an 11-day run. It comes ahead of matches between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, the first Major League Baseball regular season games in Korea, to be held at the dome on March 20 and 21. [YONHAP]

The Army's special operations troops held a joint counter-terrorism exercise with police personnel at a baseball stadium in Seoul on Tuesday to hone operational capabilities against any possible terror attacks in crowded facilities.

The exercise took place at Gocheok Sky Dome in southwestern Seoul, involving personnel from the Army Special Warfare Command and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's special operations unit, according to the Army.

It proceeded under a scenario of armed terrorists taking hostages at the stadium, demanding ransom and a helicopter to escape. Participants trained on eliminating the terrorists, rescuing the hostages and disarming an explosive planted by the gunmen.

The Army said the training was planned as part of a series of on-field drills during this year's Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the United States, which began Monday for an 11-day run.

The counter-terrorism exercise took place ahead of two matches between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres — the first regular season games of Major League Baseball in South Korea — at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 20-21.

Yonhap