British and South Korean Troops Take Part in Exercise Imjin Warrior 23
2,000 British and South Korean personnel have participated in a joint exercise which takes its name from the battle of the Imjin River in 1951 where men of the Gloucester Regiment fought a large Chinese force in one of the biggest British Battles of the Korean War. The exercise which has been conducted in the 50th year since the conflict ended in 1953 also marks 140 years of UK and South Korean relations. C company, 1st Battalion, Scots Guards took part in the exercise, having been deployed to the Falklands and Gibraltar in the months prior. Major Teasdale of the 1st Battalion remarked on his troops conduct during Imjin Warrior 23:
‘The past two years have been a whirlwind for C Company, from the global ceremonial stage to the tunnels of Gibraltar, the gales of the South Atlantic, and the deserts of the Middle East. Korea has presented its own unique challenges…However, the Company has taken it in stride, demonstrating incredible resilience, adaptability, and professionalism. I am immensely proud of them!’
During the Imjin Warrior 23 troops worked together and worked on offensive exercises and demonstrated arcs of fire. The British troops were armed with the South Korean service rifle, the K2C1. The exercise forms part of the UK’s new persistent engagement strategy which forms part of the 2022 Future Soldier plans. The strategy aims to allow the British Army to conduct longer long term deployment training and partnered exercises. At the end of Exercise Imjin Warrior, C company of the Scots Guards undertook a series of visits to cultural sites in South Korea. Including a tour of the demilitarised zone and to the Gloster Hill War memorial to pay their respects. A moment which was poignant to the members of C company whose relatives had fought in the battle 50 years prior.