Goyang: South Korean and U.S. troops have conducted joint explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) drills designed to improve interoperability and strengthen cooperation among relevant agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday. The EOD drills took place at the Army's I Corps and 9th Infantry Division in Goyang, just north of Seoul, from Wednesday to Thursday, according to the JCS.

According to Yonhap News Agency, around 200 personnel, including officials from each branch of the military, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, and the Korea Airports Corp., participated in the drills. The exercises involved EOD teams training under simulated scenarios where explosives were planted in an urban area, with both South Korean and U.S. troops conducting joint operations to achieve a shared objective.

The troops also participated in a seminar to exchange information on explosives and discuss ways to enhance the EOD teams' operational capabilities in both peacetime and wartime. Officials clarified that the drills were not related to recent security developments, including the review on the possible deployment of South Korean troops to the Strait of Hormuz, noting that these exercises have been held annually since 2019.