PHOTOS: Frontline vigilance — S. Korean troops brave extreme cold at border

Soldiers of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division patrol along the barbed-wire fence with a quadrupedal robot under trial deployment near the inter-Korean border AJP Yoo Na-hyun — South Korean soldiers from the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, accompanied by a quadrupedal robot currently under trial deployment, conduct a patrol along a barbed-wire fence near the Military Demarcation Line in Yeoncheon, Dec. 22, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) — Amidst the bone-chilling winter at the North Korean border, South Korean military operations remain in constant motion, maintaining a 24-hour watch despite plummeting temperatures.

At the heart of this defense is the General Outpost (GOP), a network of strategic surveillance positions situated approximately 2 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Tasked with monitoring the volatile frontier, GOP units manage a vast expanse of rugged terrain where accessibility is often restricted.

The core mission involves relentless patrols and rigorous inspections of the barbed-wire fences that trace the border. To bolster these efforts, the military has integrated quadrupedal robots into its pilot programs.

These "robot dogs" provide critical auxiliary surveillance in high-risk zones that are difficult for human soldiers to navigate.

The intensity of the mission is underscored by the harsh climate.

Pre-dawn patrols are conducted in temperatures averaging -10 degrees Celsius, though biting winds often push the perceived temperature down to -20 degrees Celsius. Despite these extreme conditions, the commitment to frontline security remains unwavering.

Soldiers of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division conduct a detailed inspection of the barbed-wire fence alongside a quadrupedal robot under trial deployment AJP Yoo Na-hyun — South Korean soldiers from the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, accompanied by a quadrupedal robot currently under trial deployment, conduct a patrol along a barbed-wire fence near the Military Demarcation Line in Yeoncheon, Dec. 22, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun

The sun rises over a forward ridgeline facing North Korea near the inter-Korean border AJP Yoo Na-hyun — South Korean soldiers from the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, accompanied by a quadrupedal robot currently under trial deployment, conduct a patrol along a barbed-wire fence near the Military Demarcation Line in Yeoncheon, Dec. 22, 2025. AJP Yoo Na-hyun

Yoo Na-hyun shooting@ajupress.com