1 dead, 6 injured in blast during firing exercise

By Kim Hyo-jin

One soldier was killed and six were injured Friday, following the explosion of a K-9 self-propelled howitzer during a firing exercise at an artillery range in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province.

The explosion took place at 3:19 p.m. Seven soldiers who were taking part received injuries and were transferred to a nearby hospital, but one of them, a 27-year-old sergeant first class, was pronounced dead on arrival.

“An unidentified explosion took place, and witnesses say flames erupted from inside the howitzer. We are investigating the exact cause of the incident,” said a military official who asked not to be named.

The drill involved 10 K-9s, one of the core weapons used by the South Korean Army. It has a maximum firing range of 40 kilometers, can fire six rounds a minute, and has a maximum speed of 67 kilometers per hour.

Korean defense firm Hanwha Techwin developed the 155-millimeter howitzer for the nation’s armed forces in 1998 to replace K-55 guns.