[Yonhap Photo]
[US and South Korean troops fire a volley of Hyunmoo-2A ballistic missiles and ATACMS in an operation targeting North Korea's leadership in a firing drill on Wednesday - Courtesy of ROK Ministry of National Defense ]
On a special presidential order, US and South Korean troops fired a volley of missiles in an operation targeting North Korea's leadership as the nuclear-armed North claimed to have successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The missile exercise was launched at 7:00 am (2200 GMT) from an unidentified place on the east coast following an agreement between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to send a strong message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
For Wednesday's drill, South Korea used home-made Hyunmoo-2A ballistic missiles with a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles) while the US military mobilized its powerful surface-to-surface ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems), according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Both missiles could be used for a precision strike on designated targets in North Korea.
The allies demonstrated their strong will and warning that they would not tolerate any military provocations by North Korea, a JCS statement said. "If North Korea threatens the safety of our people and the (US-South Korea) alliance with nuclear weapons and missiles, the regime will see the collapse of its leadership."
Kim hailed the test of its Hwasong-14 ICBM that could hit the US "stronghold" and warned he would never give up the development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles "under any circumstances", according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
[Yonhap Photo]
Describing the test as an Independence Day gift for Americans, Kim said with derision that the United States must be unhappy with Pyongyang's "strategic" decision. KCNA argued the North now has mastered the atmospheric re-entry technology and other ICBM-related skills.
"The test-launch was aimed at confirming the tactical and technological specifications and technological features of the newly developed inter-continental ballistic rocket capable of carrying a large-sized heavy nuclear warhead," KCNA said, adding the test verified "all technical features" such as heat-resisting and structural safety of the warhead tip of the ICBM made of newly developed carbon compound material.
Moon called for a strong response with "more than just a statement", before his departure for Germany to attend the G-20 summit where the North's nuclear and missile programs would be discussed as a key international issue, his office said.
Trump condemned the North's missile launch along with a personal attack on Kim: "Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea ... and Japan will put up with this much longer," he tweeted. "Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!"
In Washington, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson strongly condemned the North's ICBM program. "Testing an ICBM represents a new escalation of the threat to the United States, our allies and partners, the region and the world," he said in a statement.
The United States will take tougher measures to hold Pyongyang accountable, he said, adding Washington would never accept Pyongyang as a nuclear power.
Trump condemned the North's missile launch: "Does this guy have anything better to do with his life? Hard to believe that South Korea ... and Japan will put up with this much longer," he tweeted. "Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!"
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
임장원
cwlim34@ajunews.com
