- Title: SOUTH KOREA: Civilians attend a special commando boot camp
- Date: 21st January 2011
- Summary: BUCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (JANUARY 20, 2011) (REUTERS) TRAINEES ENTERING ROOM WEARING MASKS TRAINEES EXERCISING WEARING MASKS TEAR GAS COMING FROM CAN ON PORTABLE STOVE TRAINEES TAKING OFF THEIR MASKS VARIOUS OF TRAINEES COUGHING WHILE COUNTING NUMBERS TRAINEES MOVING OUT FROM TRAINING BUILDING TRAINEES BREATHING HEAVILY OUTSIDE TRAINING BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 18-YEAR-OLD SOUTH KOREAN STUDENT KIM MYUNG-JIN SAYING: "It was very difficult from the beginning with muscle aches and it hurt alot. However, I trusted and followed our trainers under the intense situations and sympathized with many of the soldiers' hard work." VARIOUS OF TRAINEES LYING ON GROUND WHILE HOLDING THEIR LEGS UP (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 15-YEAR-OLD SOUTH KOREAN STUDENT WOO SEUNG-YEON SAYING: "Once I get out of here, I will be good to my mother. I will respect my mother and father and willingly help them." VARIOUS OF TRAINEES EXERCISING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN LIEUTENANT COLONEL KIM JONG-TAK SAYING: "The special commando's camp, which is an educational ground for national security for civilians, is a good motivation to feel the importance of the country for all the participants at the camp. After the training, we expect them to live life with hope and challenge themselves rather than feeling abandoned and frustrated, while thinking about the slogan of the camp - 'make the impossible possible.'" VARIOUS OF TRAINEES UNDERGOING FLYING FOX EXERCISES VARIOUS OF TRAINEES RUNNING WHILE DRAGGING PARACHUTE
- Embargoed: 5th February 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Korea, Republic of
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVAEYHKH7G54C78Q0B7UFYESADT2
- Story Text: Despite the sub-zero temperatures and freezing winds, South Korean civilians braved the cold to attend a boot camp run by a special commando group, in order to get in shape and improve their discipline.
1,216 people had signed up for these boot camps in six places across the country, which ran from January 18 to 21, according to South Korean army officials.
Instead of staying warm at home during the winter break, about 250 civilians, including students, took part in the 'special commando'- style boot camp in Bucheon, west of Seoul.
The camp was designed to test their physical and mental endurance through eight hours of daily activities such as receiving Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) training, dragging parachutes and performing flying fox exercises from a wooden tower.
The cold was unforgiving, with temperatures hitting minus 10 degrees Celsius in Seoul and in the outskirt areas.
Some participants were happy they completed the challenge.
"It was very difficult from the beginning, with muscle aches and it hurt alot. However, I trusted and followed our trainers under the intense situations and sympathized with many of the soldiers' hard work," said 18-year-old Kim Myung-jin.
Others said the tough training changed their outlook on life.
"Once I get out of here, I will be good to my mother. I will respect my mother and father and willingly help them," said 15-year-old Woo Seung-yeon.
Boot camps run by the Army's special commando groups have been running since 2003 with approximately 18,000 participants, with a 49-year-old housewife being their oldest participant, according to army officials.
"The special commando's camp, which is an educational ground for national security for civilians, is a good motivation to feel the importance of the country for all the participants at the camp. After the training, we expect them to live life with hope and challenge themselves rather than feeling abandoned and frustrated, while thinking about the slogan of the camp - 'make the impossible possible,'" said Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jong-tak.
South Korea has a mandatory conscription policy, where men have to complete 24 months of military service between graduating high school and reaching the age of 30. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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