Military launches missiles in response to North Korea

A Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile is launched off during a live-fire drill in the East Sea, early Wednesday, held in response to an alleged ICBM test by North Korea. / Yonhap

By Choi Ha-young

The military staged a live-fire drill early Wednesday only six minutes after North Korea fired what it claimed was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The South Korean Army’s missile unit, the Navy’s Aegis ship and the Air Force’s KF-16 fighter jet took part in the training held in the East Sea near the inter-Korean border, from 3:23 a.m. to 3:44 a.m.

The joint drill simulated the targeting of a North Korean missile base ― this time Pyongsong, around 30 kilometers north of Pyongyang. The drill mobilized the nation’s ship-to-ground Haeseong-2 cruise missile as well as a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile and SPICE-2000 air-to-surface missile. The three missiles precisely hit the target, the JCS said in a press release.

According to the JCS, the Haeseong-2, a Korean-produced missile, can travel 1,000 kilometers. Hyunmoo-2, a core asset of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation scheme, boasts a 300-kilometer range while SPICE-2000 can fly 57 kilometers.

“The latest live-fire drill aims to devastate the enemy’s missile base amid the military keeping its eye on the North’s possible provocations through its reconnaissance and surveillance system,” the JCS said in the release.

“The training proves the military is capable and determined to strike the North’s military facilities anytime from ground, ship or air with pinpoint presicion.”

President Moon Jae-in has shown a stern response to North Korea’s missile activities, by staging armed responses. When Pyongyang fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Sept. 15, the military immediately launched a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile, following the President’s approval in advance of the provocation.

This time, Moon was briefed two minutes after the missile launch. Cheong Wa Dae said the military had enhanced its monitoring and preparedness from Tuesday, after detecting signs of a potential provocation.

In July, the military conducted combined missile drills with U.S. forces, in response to the North’s test-firing of a Hwasong-14, which it claims is an ICBM.

The government has made efforts to enhance its missile capacity amid Pyongyang’s escalating missile development, as seen by Wednesday’s test-firing of the Hwasong-15, compared to its previous launch of Hwasong-14s.

President Moon lifted the limit on the maximum weight of warheads to be mounted on South Korean ballistic missiles as a result of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month.

The President reiterated the bid at the National Security Council meeting organized early Wednesday, calling for rapid development of weapons in accordance with the raising of the missile payload limit.