The Republic of Korea Coast Guard Special Attack Team (Sea Special Attack Team, SSAT) is a unit organized to carry out specialized maritime missions, primarily tasked with responding to various threats that may occur at sea. Known for having one of the most infamous selection tests in South Korea, this unit’s main missions are as follows:
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| The source of the photo of Republic of Korea Sea Special Attack Team(SSAT) members undergoing tactical training. Source : Republic of Korea Coast Guard. |
Maritime Terrorism Response: The Coast Guard Special Attack Team is trained to respond to threats such as terrorism and other hostile acts at sea. Their responsibilities include preventing and suppressing acts like terrorist attacks at sea, ship hijacking, and attacks on maritime tankers.
Maritime Hostage Rescue: In the event of a ship hijacking or hostage situation at sea, the Coast Guard Special Attack Team quickly executes rescue operations. They employ high-level special tactics and equipment to carry out operations even in hazardous situations.
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| The source of the photo of Republic of Korea Sea Special Attack Team(SSAT) members undergoing tactical training. Source : Republic of Korea Coast Guard. |
Maritime Law Enforcement: The Coast Guard Special Attack Team also performs missions to combat illegal activities such as smuggling and piracy at sea. They conduct maritime police operations, sea patrols, and inspection operations to prevent these illegal activities.
Infiltration and Rescue Operations: The unit plays a critical role in sea-based infiltration and rescue operations. They are tasked with breaching enemy defenses at sea, gathering vital intelligence, and eliminating threats.
Marine Environmental Protection: The Coast Guard Special Attack Team participates in activities aimed at protecting the marine environment. Their missions include preventing illegal fishing and the release of harmful pollutants into the sea, helping preserve the marine ecosystem.
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Maritime Disaster and Rescue Operations: The team responds to maritime accidents, such as ship capsizing, fires, and other sea disasters. They carry out swift rescue and first aid operations to save lives during these emergencies.
The Coast Guard Special Attack Team is also involved in other high-risk operations at sea, counter-terrorism training, international cooperation, and overall strengthening of maritime safety. Their missions require exceptional physical and mental skills, making it one of the most specialized roles in the country.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must hold a diving certificate at the level of Diver or higher, or have at least 24 months of service in special units (Army: Special Warfare Command, HID, Special Forces, etc. / Navy: SSU, Navy Special Warfare, UDU, Marine Recon / Air Force: Search and Rescue Squadron, Air Force Special Mission Team) with proficiency in diving.
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Evaluation Items and Scoring Criteria
Swimming Ability Evaluation (45 points maximum)
| Evaluation Item | 10 points | 9 points | 8 points | 7 points | 6 points | 5 points | 4 points | 0 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100m Swim | ≤ 1 min 10 sec | 1:11 ~ 1:15 | 1:16 ~ 1:20 | 1:21 ~ 1:25 | 1:26 ~ 1:30 | 1:31 ~ 1:35 | 1:36 ~ 1:40 | ≥ 1 min 40 sec |
| Rescue Swim (42m) | ≤ 37 sec | 37.01 ~ 40.00 sec | 40.01 ~ 43.00 sec | 43.01 ~ 46.00 sec | 46.01 ~ 49.00 sec | 49.01 ~ 52.00 sec | 52.01 ~ 55.00 sec | 55.01 ~ 58.00 sec |
| Floating with Hands Raised (4kg weight) | ≥ 2 min 15 sec | 2:10 ~ 2:14 | 2:05 ~ 2:09 | 2:00 ~ 2:04 | 1:55 ~ 1:59 | 1:50 ~ 1:54 | 1:45 ~ 1:49 | ≤ 1 min 45 sec |
| Equipment Removal and Reattachment Underwater | ≤ 1 min 40 sec | 1:41 ~ 1:50 | 1:51 ~ 2:00 | 2:01 ~ 2:10 | 2:11 ~ 2:20 | 2:21 ~ 2:30 | 2:31 ~ 2:40 | 2:41 ~ 2:50 |
Penalty Criteria:
Rescue Swim: If the face or hands go below the wrist level, a 1-point deduction for each occurrence. If it lasts more than 2 seconds, 1 point will be deducted for every 2 seconds beyond.
Equipment Removal and Reattachment: If equipment is not worn or improperly worn, 2 points will be deducted.
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SSAT members undergoing diving training. Source: Republic of Korea East Coast Maritime Police Agency.
Physical Fitness Evaluation (30 points maximum)
| Evaluation Item | 10 points | 9 points | 8 points | 7 points | 6 points | 5 points | 4 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups (repetitions) | 30 or more | 29 ~ 27 | 26 ~ 24 | 23 ~ 21 | 20 ~ 18 | 17 ~ 15 | 14 or fewer |
| 100m Hurdle Shuttle Run | ≤ 36.00 sec | 36.01 ~ 37.00 sec | 37.01 ~ 38.00 sec | 38.01 ~ 39.00 sec | 39.01 ~ 40.00 sec | 40.01 ~ 41.00 sec | ≥ 41.01 sec |
| 2km Run | ≤ 6 min 50 sec | 6:51 ~ 7:00 | 7:01 ~ 7:10 | 7:11 ~ 7:20 | 7:21 ~ 7:30 | 7:31 ~ 7:40 | 7:40 ~ 7:50 |
Penalty Criteria:
Violation of hurdle turn rules will result in a 2-point deduction.
Other Notes:
All results will be rounded down to the nearest tenth.
For rescue swim, the result will be rounded down to the nearest thousandth.
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| The Commissioner of the Korea East Coast Guard inspecting the Coast Guard Special Attack Team members. Photo credit: East Coast Maritime Police Agency. |
The Coast Guard Special Attack Team is known for its high-level swimming and physical fitness evaluations, making it one of the most elite units in South Korea where only the best of the best special forces members are chosen.
When I was attending swimming training for obtaining the Lifeguard qualification, I met many applicants who were aiming for the Coast Guard Special Attack Team. They were taking the Lifeguard certification course to earn additional points for the Coast Guard SSAT exam. Most of them were from special forces, and many had been professional athletes before joining the military.
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A photo taken during the practical training for obtaining the lifeguard certification. It’s already been 4 years. |
They came from various backgrounds, including track and field, swimming, judo, boxing, and more. This shows that the Coast Guard Special Attack Team has an extremely high selection standard, even among those who are physically exceptional, coming from elite special forces and top-tier athletes. And this made me curious about just how physically tough the actual Coast Guard Special Attack Team members must be.
Can you pass this test? Take on the challenge and let me know!
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