South Korea to hold live-fire missile drills in response to North's recent launches

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South Korea to hold live-fire missile drills in response to North's recent launches

Published: 05 Nov. 2024, 17:32 Updated: 05 Nov. 2024, 18:41

South Korea’s Hyunmoo ballistic missile, seen to be able to counter Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons, is highlighted in a new video released by the Defense Ministry to mark Armed Forces Day on Oct. 1, 2022. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

South Korea plans to hold live-fire missile drills, involving Hyunmoo-II surface-to-surface missiles and the Cheongung surface-to-air missile defense system, this week in response to North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches, a military source said Tuesday.

The military plans to conduct the drills as early as Wednesday in response to North Korea's launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles Tuesday and its firing of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Thursday.

"In response to North Korea escalating its provocations with the recent launch of an ICBM, the drills involving weapons capable of striking North Korea in a contingency will take place as a warning to the North," the source said.

The Hyunmoo-II is a short-range ballistic missile operated by the Army's Missile Strategic Command. The missile is believed to have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers, which would put the entirety of North Korea within striking distance.

South Korea has previously staged live-fire missile drills in response to provocative acts by North Korea.

In October 2022, the military fired a Hyunmoo-IIC ballistic missile after North Korea's launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile at the time.

Yonhap