S. Korea fires bombs at mock N. Korean missile launcher in response to ICBM launch

The South Korean Air Force's F-35A stealth fighter jets stage live-fire drills striking North Korea's transporter erector launcher (TEL) with US-made GBU-12 aerial laser-guided bombs on Friday afternoon. The drills were conducted in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier in the day. (Joint Chiefs of Staff)

The South Korean military on Friday conducted strike drills attacking a mock North Korean missile launcher with aerial laser-guided bombs, in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile toward the East Sea.

The live-fire drills were staged at Pilsung Range in Kangwon Province in the afternoon, about six hours after the North Korean missile was launched to waters off Japan at 10:15 a.m., according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The drills aimed to “demonstrate the ability of (South Korea’s) F-35 fighter jets with advanced stealth capabilities, to stealthily approach a target without being detected by the enemy and precisely strike the target,” the JCS said.

The South Korean Air Force’s four F-35A stealth fighters also flew with four F-16 Fighting Falcons of the US Air Force in a combined strike group over the East Sea.

The allies’ military actions came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed officials to strengthen the South Korea-US combined defense posture.

The missile, reportedly to be a new Hwasong-17 ICBM, traveled about 1,000 kilometers, reaching a top speed of Mach 22 and an altitude of around 6,100 kilometers. Japan said the ICBM would have a range exceeding 15,000 kilometers if fired at a regular trajectory, far enough to reach the US mainland.

By Ji Da-gyum(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)