[Yonhap Photo]
South Korea's military fired a volley of missiles off the east coast in a simulated attack on North Korea's nuclear test site after President Moon Jae-in ordered strong military pressure against Pyongyang.
The live-fire drill at sunrise involved an unspecified number of Hyunmoo surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and air-to-ground missiles, which were fired at a designated target in international waters off the east coast, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.
The range was set in view of the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site near the border with China, the JCS said, adding the drill demonstrated South Korea's ability to stage "a precise strike" against the origins of North Korean provocations.
It was a joint drill by South Korea's ground missile unit and F-15K fighters in response to the North's sixth and most powerful nuclear test that triggered international condemnation. The JCS said there would be more military measures by US and South Korean troops.
After talks with US President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned: "Any threat to the United States or its territory, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming."
In Sunday's detonation that caused an artificial earthquake with a 5.7 magnitude, Pyongyang claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can fit on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Seoul's weather agency said the blast was five to six times more powerful than the fifth test in September 2016.
The fresh test sowed Pyongyang's incessant push for the development of nuclear-tipped ICBMs. "The H-bomb test was carried out to examine and confirm the accuracy and credibility of the power control technology, and internal structural design newly introduced into manufacturing the H-bomb to be placed as the payload of the ICBM," according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
President Moon called for powerful sanctions while Trump threatened to cut off all trade with countries that do business with North Korea.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
