Seoul, Jun 25 (IANS): South Korea and the US kicked off joint drills aimed at strengthening their combined logistics capabilities earlier this week, Seoul's military said Tuesday.

The five-day combined distribution exercise got underway on Monday in multiple locations across the country, including Pocheon, 52 km northeast of Seoul, joined by some 2,000 South Korean and US troops, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The exercise is designed to train troops on procedures to distribute supplies, personnel and equipment to combat units within the peninsula. The latest drills mobilized some 500 pieces of equipment, including tanks, aircraft, warships and civilian cargo ships.

While previous combined distribution exercises took place on a limited scale in southern areas, this year's drills will train troops in actual operational areas in an effort to maintain their combat capabilities, the JCS said.