US military conducts first nuclear response training in South Korea

The US Army’s dedicated nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) response unit has conducted its first-ever nuclear weapon effects training in South Korea, according to reports from US Forces Korea (USFK).

The training, held April 15-16 at South Korea’s Strategic Command, involved personnel from both the South Korean military and USFK.

The session, led by two instructors from the US Army Nuclear and Countering WMD Agency (USANCA), focused on operating in environments where nuclear weapons are used or the threat of their use exists.

While the exact details of the training remain undisclosed, the emphasis was on enhancing knowledge and skills necessary for military operations in nuclear-threat environments, USFK said in a statement.

Participants included six representatives from South Korea’s Strategic Command, two officials from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, and five personnel from the US-South Korea Combined Forces Command.

The event also featured discussions on South Korea’s role in the Combined Nuclear and Conventional Integration (CNI) operations, a joint operational concept designed to integrate US nuclear assets with South Korea’s advanced conventional forces. Although a formal operational framework for CNI has not been finalized, exercises continue to refine its implementation.

“This training can be directly applied to alliance CNI tabletop exercises (TTX) and war games,” USFK said in a release.

Last August, both nations conducted the first CNI TTX, codenamed “Iron Mace 24,” at Camp Humphreys, a major US military base in South Korea. The exercise focused on joint planning procedures for deploying US nuclear assets with South Korean conventional support, aimed at countering North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

Routine combined exercises such as “Freedom Shield” in the spring and “Ulchi Freedom Shield” in the fall are expected to incorporate nuclear contingency planning. These scenarios will likely be integrated into broader operational plans as the two allies work toward solidifying their joint deterrence posture.

“While I can’t discuss specific scenarios, the alliance continues to refine its response strategies to be prepared for any contingency,” Maj. Gen. William Taylor, US-South Korea Combined Forces Command operations chief, told Yonhap News Agency in a recent interview.