The Army’s 53rd Infantry Division, Busan Brigade, said on March 11 it carried out an integrated protection exercise for critical facilities along the Haeundae underground utility tunnel.
The exercise emphasized establishing an integrated defense system to coordinate military and civilian agencies against infiltration or terrorist attacks using underground infrastructure.
Sixteen organizations participated, including the Busan Brigade and its subordinate units, the Haeundae District Office, Haeundae Police Station and Fire Station, the Special Fire Rescue Unit and the 507th Aviation Battalion.
The scenario assumed an unidentified individual had infiltrated the Haeundae tunnel.
Tunnel personnel detected the intrusion using entry sensors and closed-circuit television (CCTV) and alerted military and civilian agencies. Military, police and fire units dispatched initial-response teams and reinforcements and established an on-site command post in the tunnel’s integrated control room.
Once the intruder was identified on CCTV, military and police sealed the surrounding area, conducted interior searches and launched anti-terror operations. Fire units deployed pump trucks and ambulances to respond to potential fires and casualties.
The exercise also simulated a drone-borne attack, prompting military and police forces to commence search-and-destroy operations against the intruder.
Aerial reconnaissance tracked the suspect, and a pursuit-and-elimination task force located a suspected improvised explosive device and cleared it.
Kang Geun-ho, a battalion commander with the Busan Brigade, said the drill helped cement a single integrated-protection manual linking civilian agencies, local government, the military, police and fire services. "It provided a valuable opportunity to validate our crisis-response procedures," he said, adding that the brigade, as the regional defense unit responsible for Busan’s security, will continue joint exercises with partner agencies.
