A South Korean soldier guides the tanks taking part in a joint river crossing operation drill between South Korean and U.S. troops, in Yeoju, South Korea, October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiYEOJU, South Korea, Oct 19 (Reuters) - South Korean and American troops practiced building floating bridges to ferry tanks and other armoured vehicles across rivers on Wednesday, part of a larger joint military exercise that has angered North Korea. South Korea and the United States say the drills are defensive, and necessary for deterring the North. South Korea uses an older version of U.S.-made bridging equipment, and one span was assembled using elements from each side, allowing troops to practice combining the different systems. Despite the tensions with North Korea, U.S. soldiers said they rarely had time to ponder geopolitics during the drills.

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