South Korea has fired ballistic missiles into waters off its eastern coast in a show of force against the North, less than 24 hours after North Korea carried out its sixth and most advanced nuclear test to date.
During a drill on early Monday morning, South Korean forces simulated a missile attack against the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in North Korea’s northeastern region, where all of the country’s nuclear tests have taken place.
Multiple ballistic missiles were fired at designated targets in waters off South Korea, taking into account the distance to North Korea’s nuclear test site. Hyunmoo-2A short-range surface-to-surface missiles were launched at the targets and F-15K fighter jets fired long-range air-to-surface missiles.
U.S. forces, which have in the past participated in similar exercises, did not take part in Monday’s drill.
South Korea and other countries have called for the strongest sanctions yet after the North carried out a nuclear test on Sunday afternoon. North Korea claims it carried out a successful test of a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, a significant development if proven to be true.
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