Shirtless Marines hit the snow in South Korea during sub-zero temps

Case in point: Marines from the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division and their South Korean counterparts recently embraced the harsh Korean winter by training shirtless in the snow.

Pictures from Sunday's the Jan. 28 training event show the recon Marines and the 1st Republic of Korea Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalion running together, practicing fireman carry drills and covering themselves with snow — all while bare chested as temperatures dipped below freezing. without their shirts – in the negative 20 degrees Celsius temperatures.

"The tough, realistic training that you have seen in the photos of ROK and U.S. Marines patrolling and moving together over challenging terrain is representative of how 3rd Marine Division is dedicated to learning and sharing tactics with [South Korean marines]he ROKMC," said 1st Lt. Martin Harris, a spokesman for the 3rd Marine Division. 

Forty-five Marines took part in cold weather mobility, survival and patrolling training near a mountain warfare training center near the Republic of Korea Mountain Warfare Training Center in Pyeongchang county as part of the annual Korean Marine Exercise Program, Harris said in an email to Marine Corps Times.

"The events ...  in KMEP span the range of Marine Corps’ capabilities as they encompass training events with air, ground, and logistics units from both countries," Harris said.

The program’s goal is to allow both militaries  U.S. and Republic of Korea Marines to work better at the tactical level by building personal relationships between the two sides, he said.