Navy deep-sea divers conduct wintertime drills

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Published: 22 Jan. 2026, 11:19

Navy officers run as part of a drill at a naval base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]

Navy deep-sea divers are conducting regular wintertime drills this week in waters off the country's southern coast, the Navy said, braving subzero temperatures amid a weeklong cold snap.

The four-day exercise kicked off Tuesday at a major naval base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, involving about 70 deep-sea divers from the elite Sea Salvage & Rescue Unit (SSU), according to the armed service.

The training was organized to help them overcome cold-weather circumstances and sharpen their readiness posture for wintertime rescue operations.

As part of the exercise, the divers familiarized themselves with various underwater situations that could arise during salvage operations and conducted group sea swimming and paddling drills, the Navy said.

Launched in 1950 as a Navy special forces unit, the SSU is tasked with ship salvage and rescue operations.

Yonhap