The South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) conducted a biological defense exercise, referred to as “Able Response 15,” in cooperation with the U.S. army on Wednesday at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.

The training is intended to prevent natural or intentional biological threats. The training showed how the U.S.-ROK alliance and South Korean government sectors are expected to respond should a smallpox infection occurs.

According to the MND, this exercise was the fifth since 2011, and 200 people from 40 organizations participated.

“Through the biological defense exercise, we expect to improve