The Republic of Korea Navy's ROKS Cheonji is docked at the Ulsan CLX pier for refueling. [Provided by SK Innovation]
The Republic of Korea Navy's ROKS Cheonji is docked at the Ulsan CLX pier for refueling. [Provided by SK Innovation]

SK Innovation said it conducted a civil-military joint fuel intake and distribution exercise at its Ulsan Complex (Ulsan CLX) from Sept. 19 to 20, with the participation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and relevant agencies.

The exercise was part of the Ulchi CPX, designed to strengthen civil-military cooperation for the rapid and stable supply of fuel to the armed forces in wartime.

SK Innovation trained alongside the military on fuel intake and distribution procedures using a range of equipment, including tank trucks, railway tank cars and oil tankers. The exercise covered the full operational cycle — from setting up a situation room and running loading facilities to testing emergency response procedures for incidents such as fires.

Particularly notable was the first-ever maritime refueling drill, in which a Navy logistics support ship took on fuel directly at the Ulsan CLX maritime pier. With the strategic importance of stable wartime fuel supply growing amid recent conflicts in the Middle East, the exercise expanded beyond land-based training to also assess maritime fuel support capabilities.

As a nationally critical facility, SK Innovation maintains a stable energy supply system while keeping in place the capacity to deliver fuel to the military without disruption in emergencies. The company is also continuously strengthening its response framework to ensure supply stability through rapid recovery and process normalization in the event of cyberattacks, pipeline damage or other emergencies.

"Fuel is a strategic resource directly tied to national security, and it is critically important to have a system in place that can supply it reliably even in emergencies," SK Innovation's emergency planning officer said. "We will continue to work closely with relevant agencies to strengthen our emergency response capabilities and do our utmost to support national energy security."


keg@heraldcorp.com