BioterrorismU.S., South Korea teaming up for bioterrorism exercise

Published 15 July 2013

Officials from the United States and South Korea were in Seoul, South Korea last month for the third annual joint anti-bioterrorism exercise in Seoul. Around eighty U.S. officials and between 120 and 130 South Korean military officials participated in the tabletop exercise.

Officials from the United States and South Korea were in Seoul, South Korea last month for the third annual joint anti-bioterrorism exercise in Seoul. Around eighty U.S. officials and between 120 and 130 South Korean military officials participated in the tabletop exercise.

Officials from the United States and South Korea were in Seoul, South Korea last month for the third annual joint anti-bioterrorism exercise in Seoul. Around eighty U.S. officials and between 120 and 130 South Korean military officials participated in the tabletop exercise.

Stars and Stripesreports that participants in the exercise studied simulated attack situations and review the outcomes in order to identify weaknesses and improve emergency response plans.

“Seoul is the capital of South Korea, and there are so many people in this city, so bioterrorism is a serious threat,” a spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said before the 3-day “Able Response 13” exercise started.

“South Korea and the U.S. will review the government-level integrated response system that relates to not only biological outbreaks but also bioterrorism threats, and discuss ways to enhance bioterrorism response capability,” an MND statement said. 

One MND official said the preparations for bioterrorism attacks focus on “unknown actors.”

MND officials said the point of the exercise was to prepare to address a threat from any group or country, including North Korea.