US, South Korea hold record-breaking live-fire drills
The US and South Korean militaries on June 21 conducted their largest-ever live-fire exercise to test their ability to respond to attacks from North Korea, amid rising tensions between the two sides.
The US and South Korea conduct the largest live-fire exercise in history. Photo:Yonhap
The exercise was conducted in Pocheon, a city northeast of the capital.
The first phase of the exercise, 35 kilometers from the border with North Korea, is to train the ability to respond to artillery and conventional attacks on South Korean outposts in the border area. The next phase is held under the scenario of a full-scale attack by the North Korean military.
Apache helicopters and A-10 aircraft were tasked with bombarding simulated enemy positions. Two multiple rocket launchers also participated in the attack. The day-long exercise ended with a cargo plane dropping ammunition and food to ground forces, while 60 commandos parachuted into enemy positions.
Today's exercise is part of a series of exercises between the US and South Korean militaries. Tomorrow, soldiers from both countries will begin a three-day joint naval exercise in the Yellow Sea, just ahead of the 62nd anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War (June 25, 1950). 10 South Korean warships and the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington will join the exercise, along with 8,000 soldiers and hundreds of fighter jets. This is an annual joint naval exercise.
Yesterday, the US, South Korea and Japan also began a two-day military exercise in waters south of the Korean peninsula. The exercise involved several destroyers, logistics ships and helicopters.
"Through the joint naval exercises, the South Korean and US militaries will be able to verify their joint combat capabilities and enhance their combat readiness," said Brigadier General Park Seong-Bae of the South Korean military. "We will respond immediately to any attack from North Korea and stop the enemy."
North Korea has called the US-South Korea military exercises a "reckless provocation". Tensions between Pyongyang and
According to Express-M
