▲ This photo, provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shows South Korean and U.S. troops conducting a joint logistics exercise near Pocheon, some 50 kilometers northeast of Seoul, and other locations on June 25, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, July 15 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean and U.S. militaries have launched a combined logistics exercise aimed at strengthening their capabilities to sustain operations during contingencies, involving the largest number of troops to date, the allies said Wednesday.

The allies kicked off the largest-ever combined joint sustainment training (CJST) Monday for a four-day run, in areas near Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and Hongcheon in Gangwon Province, according to the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC).

This year's exercise involved a total of 4,400 South Korean and U.S. troops, along with some 600 pieces of equipment, including warships and aircraft, marking the largest scale, it said.

During the drills, the troops conducted the Dragon Lift exercise, which involved transporting injured personnel via medical helicopters and treatment ships under a simulated scenario of mass casualties.

The allies also conducted an over-the-shore logistics exercise to demonstrate their capability to transfer personnel, equipment and supplies from sea to shore when port facilities are unavailable. It marked the first such exercise in nearly nine years since the previous one in 2017.

The biennial CJST exercise, hosted by the CFC, is a joint field exercise designed to train troops to efficiently distribute military logistics, including personnel, fuel and equipment, to combat units.

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