English: BAENGNYEONGDO ISLAND, South Korea - Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, United
Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, travels to
the strategically important northwest island known as "PY-do" to Americans
and "Baengnyeongdo" to South Koreans March 13-14 with Command Sgt. Maj. Kwak
Sang-Won, senior enlisted advisor for the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff; Command
Sgt. Maj. Lee Gil-Ho, ROK senior enlisted leader, ROK Ground Component
Command, and ROK-US Combined Forces Command; Sgt. Maj. Brent Cook, senior
enlisted leader, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea; Command Sgt. Maj. Kim
Jeong-Geun, senior enlisted leader, ROK Defense Communication Command Force;
and Sgt. Maj. Mark Gendron, senior operational advisor, U.S. Army Asymmetric
Warfare Group. The island, just 17 km (10.5 miles) from North Korea, and
several others known as the "Northwest Islands," has become a flashpoint in
relations between North and South Korea. North Korea sunk the South Korean
naval vessel Cheonan near the island March 26, 2010, killing 46 sailors, and
fired artillery shells at the nearby Yeonpyeong Island Nov. 23, 2010,
killing two South Korean Marines and two civilians.