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

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.

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