South Korea Cheongryong Self-Denial Training Camp For Children Kicks Off (PHOTOS)

A military boot camp run by retired marines near the South Korean capital of Seoul teaches teenagers some discipline... the hard way.

According to the Los Angeles Times, some 50 students took part in the four-day exercise at the Cheongryong Self-Denial Training Camp to "strengthen their mental and physical endurance.”

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The training camp, involving "air bicycle exercises, endurance runs and star jumps" in freezing temperatures, is seen by many as a significant part of the transition to adulthood, the Daily Mail writes.

The Daily Mail adds:

Campers are woken early and sent out in the cold to do stretching exercises before breakfast. Many are also taught military songs and have all possessions taken from them. In total exercises can last for up to 10 hours a day, leaving children thoroughly exhausted.

Similar camps are also held during summer, in which participants engage in military-style endurance tasks such as jumping over paddles and obstacle mud runs, China's CNTV broadcaster reports.

Take a look at some amazing photos of the bootcamp in the slideshow below.