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News | March 18, 2025

U.S. Army military police conduct theater-level detainee operations training in South Korea

By James Choi 8th Army

The U.S. Army Reserve's 290th Military Police Brigade and its subordinate 160th Military Police Battalion conducted Operations Lock & Key along with Eighth Army's 557th Military Police Company and Republic of Korea Army MPs during a theater-level detainee operations training event March 10-14 at the Goyang Urban Training Center in Goyang, South Korea.

The exercise focused on refining the command’s ability to oversee and execute detainee operations at an international transfer point, security and mobility support, and policing operations in the Korean Theater of Operations. Police intelligence operations played a key role in the training, reinforcing the Military Police Corps’ ability to adapt to complex battlefield environments.

Operations Lock & Key emphasized staff coordination, control, planning, integration, and compliance oversight within detainee operations. The 200th Military Police Command’s Central Detainee Operations Cell training out of Camp Humphreys led the effort, ensuring that participants refined their ability to process, secure, and transfer detainees in accordance with international laws and U.S. Army policies.

Maj. Han Jin-young from the Republic of Korea Army's 1st Corps Military Police Unit, who played a key role in planning the exercise, highlighted the significance of joint training efforts.

“This training allowed us to establish a realistic wartime detainee operations framework and conduct systematic, professional training with the participation of U.S. forces specializing in detainee management,” Han said. “We will build upon the lessons learned to further enhance our military’s detainee processing and transfer capabilities.”

The training event aligns with the broader objectives of Freedom Shield 2025, a combined U.S.-Republic of Korea military exercise designed to enhance operational readiness and strengthen the alliance between the two countries.

By integrating the latest operational lessons and best practices, the 200th Military Police Command, 290th Military Police Brigade, 160th Military Police Battalion and the 557th Military Police Company, continue to enhance their standing in the Korean theater while ensuring compliance with international detainee management standards. The end goal remains clear: the successful execution of theater-level military police command operations.

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Operations Lock & Key (Freedom Shield 25)
A group of Republic of Korea Army Soldiers pull security and detain simulated enemy prisoners of war while conducting detainee operations training during Freedom Shield 25 at Goyang, South Korea, March 13, 2025. Freedom Shield 2025 is a multi-domain military training program that integrates ground, air, naval, space and cyberspace elements, enhancing readiness through realistic combat situations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Kestner)