UK Commandos and Republic of Korea NSW Group counterparts mastered skills used to stop terrorists and drugs smugglers across South West England.
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News Release, Whale Island, 31 July 2026: UK Commandos and Republic of Korean counterparts mastered skills used to stop terrorists and drugs smugglers in historic operations training across South West England. For the first time, members of the RoK’s Navy Special Warfare Group (NSW) travelled to the UK to work with Royal Marines from 42 Commando, who specialise in a range of maritime operations, including counter-smuggling, piracy and terrorism, and other UK operators from 47 and 29 Commando.
The two-week joint anti-terrorism and counter-narcotics exercise enhanced respective tactical skills while bringing the two nations closer together and confirming responses for future operations. The two forces were put through a series of realistic training scenarios, utilising raiding craft from 47 Commando and aircraft from Commando Helicopter Force as they carried out boarding drills, closed quarters combat training and fast roping from helicopters. During an intense fortnight, they planned and executed opposed vessel seizures, special reconnaissance missions and raiding operations.
This training marks the first time that Republic of Korean Forces have participated in this type of training in the UK following Royal Marines involvement in exercises on the Korean Peninsula last year during Operation HIGHMAST, the UK Carrier Strike Group’s headline global deployment in 2025.
[Crown Copyright: PO Phot Alex Ceolin]
Major George Eatwell, officer in command of M Coy, 42 Commando, said: “Having worked alongside RoK NSW off the Korean Peninsula last summer during Op HIGHMAST and the Carrier Strike Group deployment, it was a privilege to host a team from the Special Mission Battalion at 42 Commando.
“The chance to train once more with such a professional and dedicated Special Operations Force in the UK – rehearsing complex, integrated boarding operations and warfighting scenarios – truly demonstrated the strength and depth of our partnership.
“The cross-training showcased our capability to plan and execute complex, high-end missions seamlessly integrated at the operator level, addressing shared challenges. While some threats may be geographically distinct, the nature of these challenges and the capabilities required to counter them are undeniably joint. We gained invaluable insights and lessons from each other throughout this collaboration.”
Lieutenant Colonel Oh Hyun-seok, commander of the Special Mission Battalion, said: “This training has confirmed the solid cooperation framework between Korean and UK Special Operations units and provided an opportunity to raise our practical coalition capability to a higher stage. We will continue to maintain the tactics capability to perfectly counter any terrorist threat in the future.”
The members of 42 Commando involved were from the Special Operations Maritime Task Unit 10, required to maintain exceptionally high levels of readiness to deliver maritime Special Operations around the globe. SOMTUs are designed to be deployed around the globe, operating from hubs on land or from ships. They are able to operate independently or integrate with partner forces. Each SOMTU can provide one force protection team, two boarding teams and can be bolstered with specialist capabilities, such as scout snipers, uncrewed systems, dive teams, explosive ordnance disposal and electronic warfare.
The two forces were organised into three teams – assault, sniper and rapid reaction – conducting a maritime interdiction exercise in Portland Harbour, before heading to Scraesdon Fort in Cornwall to carry out a raid from the sea, infiltrating the 19th-Century fort under the cover of darkness. They conducted a boarding of German replenishment tanker, Rhön, in the waters off Plymouth and spent time on Dartmoor at Foggintor carrying out abseiling drills.
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