S. Korea holds ballistic missile drill against N. Korea

South Korea's military said Monday it conducted a combined live-fire exercise in response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test a day earlier.

The training involved the country's Hyunmoo ballistic missile and F-15K fighter jets.

In the drill, the Hyunmoo-2A surface-to-surface missile and the F-15K's SLAM-ER long-range air-to-ground missile accurately hit designated targets in the East Sea, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The South's military, in particular, said the range to the simulated targets was set in consideration of the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site in its northeastern province.

The JCS added it's also preparing for joint measures with the U.S. military for a show of force against the North's provocation.

The Hyunmoo-2A's range is around 300 kilometers.

South Korea is seeking to double the maximum payload of its ballistic missiles. Under a bilateral accord with the U.S. revised in 2012, it can develop ballistic missiles with a range of up to 800km and a payload weight of up to 500kg.

In their recent phone talks, the South's President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed "in principle" to revise the so-called missile guidelines. (Yonhap)