Seoul, Aug 1 (IANS): South Korean army operations troops on Thursday wrapped up an exercise around an island off the west coast designed to strengthen their maritime infiltration capabilities, officials said.

The exercise, which began July 22, took place around Anmyeon Island, 123 kilometers southwest of Seoul, involving some 150 personnel under the Army Special Warfare Command and about 20 pieces of equipment, such as special operations boats, Yonhap news agency reported.

During the drills, the troops trained on infiltrating coastlines aboard the inflatable boats and eliminating threats in target areas, according to the army.

The exercise also mobilized coastal defense personnel from the 32nd Infantry Division to serve as troops defending against the infiltrating special forces, it said.

The army said the exercise served to strengthen the operational capabilities of special forces and coastal defense personnel, adding that it plans to improve training methods to enhance troop readiness.