Country South Korea | Branch Republic of Korea Army | |
 | ||
Active 17 April 1982 – present Allegiance Government of South Korea Type Special operations forces Role Domestic counter-terrorism and Law Enforcement
unconventional warfare
direct action
military raids | ||
The 707th Special Mission Battalion (Hangul : 제707특수임무대대, Hanja : 第707特殊任務大隊) is a special forces unit in the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command.
Contents
History
The unit was formed after the Munich massacre, which forced the South Korean government to create a counter-terrorist unit in time for the 1988 Olympics that would be held on South Korean soil. The unit has about 200 men and women organized in two companies, headquarters and support staff.
The 707th SMB has also been called on by the South Korean government to prioritize potential counter-terrorist operations against any possible threats on South Korean soil. The unit is South Korea’s primary counter-terrorist and quick reaction force. The unit’s soldiers – once distinguished by their black berets (before the standardization of the black beret for all active soldiers) – are tasked with conducting urban counter terrorist missions, and constitute the Army’s quick-reaction force for emergencies. The battalion's nickname is 'White Tiger.'
The unit also has a small number of female special forces operatives. They are used in counter-terror operations where the presence of a woman is not seen as a threat to a terrorist.
Training
The recruitment process usually involves conscripts from the different branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces who apply and try out to become members of the elite force. Others are handpicked by their superiors across the different branches of the military and try out like their applicant counterparts. The selection process is very rigorous. First applicants will undergo a background check and then undergo a 10-day procedure in which 90% are eliminated.
All members of the 707th are SCUBA and parachute qualified. It is reported that members frequently perform daily calisthenics in the snow and sub-zero temperatures and will swim in freezing lakes without any thermal protection. Moreover, all members of the 707th must have extensive experience in martial arts with the average operator having a total of 3 black belts in 3 different martial arts.
The 707th Special Mission Battalion trains with foreign partners, such as U.S. Army's Delta Force, FBI HRT, British SAS, Russia's Alpha Group, French GIGN, Canadian JTF2, Hong Kong SDU, and Singaporean STAR. The purpose is to experience and increase relationships and exchanges with international Special Forces communities.
The battalion also owns and operates a multi-complex counter-terrorism training site for the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command and hosts multi-national counter-terrorist training. Furthermore, it is reported that the 707th have actually held covert missions in north Korean mainland.