South Korea conducted missile tests in response to North Korea’s reported launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Seoul also warned that if necessary, it would direct weapons at Pyongyang’s missile launch site.
According to Yonhap, the South Korean Army announced on March 24 that the country’s armed forces conducted a live-fire exercise with Seoul’s key missiles.
Hours after North Korea launched an object believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, South Korea fired missiles from land, sea, and air around the country’s eastern seaboard, according to a statement. This could be Pyongyang’s first ICBM test after a five-year hiatus in the pursuit of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula through diplomacy.
Meanwhile, according to Sputnik, the South Korean military announced that it is “ready and capable” of launching precision weapons “if necessary” against North Korea’s missile launch sites and control systems.
Hyunmoo-2 surface-to-surface missiles, ATACMS tactical missiles, Haesung-II ship-to-surface missiles, and JDAM air-to-surface missiles are among the Korean weapons that have been mobilised for the live-fire exercise.
According to Yonhap, the drills are intended to send a warning message to North Korea’s actions.
North Korea’s launch appeared to be a “new type” ICBM, according to Japan, and it flew 1,100 kilometres from the launch site. At 3:44 p.m., the suspected missile object landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), about 170 kilometres west of Aomori Prefecture, according to the Japanese coast guard (local time).
Moon Jae-in, the president of South Korea, accused North Korea of violating an international ban on the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles. After efforts to negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula stalled, Pyongyang hinted that the ban might be lifted.
North Korea’s missile test was also condemned by the US Indo-Pacific Command, which urged Pyongyang to refrain from actions that could destabilise the situation.
This was North Korea’s 13th nuclear test this year, an unprecedented number of tests by Pyongyang. Tensions in the region were heightened as a result of the incident.
