S. Korea hold new massive army, air force drills in show of force against N. Korea
December 23rd, 2010 - 1:18 pm ICT by ANI
Seoul (S. Korea), Dec. 23 (ANI): In a show of force aimed at countering potential and possible threats from North Korea, the South Korean army and air force held its largest air and ground drills here on Thursday.
Foreign news agency reports said that the drills were taking place near the Koreas’ heavily fortified border in Pocheon, signaling Seoul’s determination to showcase its military strength.
Vulcan artillery vehicles fired into a wide valley with numbers carved onto hills below as the army and air force launched the drills at 2:42 p.m. local time, about 30 kilometers from the North Korean border.
They are the armed forces’ largest joint firing exercises this year.
Exactly one month ago, routine South Korean live-fire drills from Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea triggered a shower of North Korean artillery that killed two marines and two construction workers.
It was the first military attack on a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce.
Forty-seven similar exercises have taken place this year but Thursday’s maneuvers were scheduled in response to the North Korean attack, according to army officials.
Thursday’s drills are to include 30 K-1 tanks, 11 K-200 armored personnel carriers, two F-15K jets, four KF-16, 36 K-9 artillery pieces, three multiple long-range rockets, four 500MD helicopters, three AH-1S cobra helicopters, and other equipment and 800 troops, according to the army.
South Korea’s navy also was conducting annual anti-submarine exercises off the east coast. (ANI)
- North Korea says South's "childish play with fire not worth responding to" - Dec 21, 2010
- US, South Korea hold military drill - Jun 22, 2012
- India, France urge Korea to comply with UNSC and IAEA BoG resolutions - Dec 06, 2010
- S.Korea says will continue live-fire drill off coast next week - Dec 12, 2010
- North Korea threatens war over US-South Korea drills - Feb 25, 2012
- S. Korea starts naval firing drills amid rising tension with North - Dec 06, 2010
- North and South Korea exchange fire - Aug 10, 2011
- Report: South Korea begins live-fire drill near border with North - Dec 20, 2010
- South Korea, US launch joint military exercise - Feb 27, 2012
- Third US aircraft carrier during naval drill to up Korean Peninsula crisis: Analyst - Dec 27, 2010
- S.Korea begins Yellow Sea anti-submarine drills, cocks a snook on N.Korea - Aug 05, 2010
- North Korea restarts firing artillery shells in Yellow Sea - Jan 28, 2010
- North Korea fires artillery shells near maritime border - Aug 09, 2010
- US, South Korea plan more military exercises as warning to belligerent North - Dec 02, 2010
- China calls for emergency talks over North Korea - Nov 28, 2010
Tags: armored personnel carriers, army air force, army officials, artillery pieces, construction workers, fire drills, foreign news, ground drills, helicopters, korea seoul, korean war, koreas, maneuvers, massive army, military attack, military strength, north korea, south korea, south korean army, yellow sea