- Title: SOUTH KOREA: Youths attend marine boot camp to get fit
- Date: 31st July 2009
- Summary: GIMPO, SOUTH KOREA (JULY 30, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STUDENTS WEARING MILITARY UNIFORMS CARRYING RUBBER BOATS FEMALE STUDENTS PARTICIPANTS SITTING AND FANNING THEMSELVES DURING BREAK TIME (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SEO MOON-SUK, A LIEUTENANT COMMANDER AND THE CHIEF TRAINER OF ARMY CAMP, SAYING: "We, the Marine Corps operate this boot camp program for trainees to experience training programmes such as boating, mobile attacks and offense and defense skills, so that they can be trained to overcome hardship and enhance their mental strength, which we are aiming for. We welcome young people who can enjoy challenges." STUDENTS ROLLING ON THE GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEE HYUNG-MIN, 14-YEAR-OLD PARTICIPANT, SAYING: "My parents sent me here because I wasn't behaving at home. I think the hardest part of the training program was the physical training and many other friends think the same way." VARIOUS OF STUDENTS PUSHING EACH OTHER ON THE BOAT (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) CHOI WON-A, A 25-YEAR-OLD CAMP PARTICIPANT, SAYING: "I participated in this boot camp to lose some weight. I think I'm losing my weight as I do a lot of exercise and eat less here." STUDENTS SPLASHING WATER ON EACH OTHER IN THE RIVER STUDENTS IN THE RIVER
- Embargoed: 15th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Health,Lifestyle
- Reuters ID: LVADN49EV6FO29HBJIGCWH042P7G
- Story Text: Instead of lazing around during the annual summer break, some South Korean students decided to get rough by participating in a marine style boot camp.
Wearing military uniforms and braving the sweltering weather of summer, about 170 youth took part in the marine training on Thursday (July 30).
They hope to become more disciplined and enhance their mental and physical strength through the five-day regimen, where they will train for up to eight hours daily.
"We, the Marine Corps operate this boot camp program for trainees to experience training programmes such as boating, mobile attacks and offense and defense skills, so that they can be trained to overcome hardship and enhance their mental strength, which we are aiming for. We welcome young people who can enjoy challenges," said Seo Moon-Suk, the chief trainer of the boot camp.
Participants attended the camp in Gimpo, located 29 kilometres northwest of Seoul.
Some were sent to the camp forcibly by their parents.
"My parents sent me here because I wasn't behaving at home. I think the hardest part of the training program was the physical training and many other friends think the same way," said Lee Hyung-min, one of young participants.
Others joined mainly to get fit.
"I participated in this boot camp to lose some weight. I think I'm losing my weight as I do a lot of exercise and eat less here," said Choi Won-A, 25-year-old trainee.
The camp aims to test their physical and mental endurance through activities such as river-crossing simulations, basic exercises and team events under the close watch of trainers from the South Korean Marine Corps.
South Korean men must complete 24 months of military service between graduation of high school and the age of 30. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.