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South Korea holds live-fire drill near tense border
SOUTH KOREA - 24 MARCH 2011
SEOUL – South Korea launched a major live-fire drill Thursday near the tense land border with North Korea in a show of strength marking the first anniversary of the sinking of one of its warships.
Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery, helicopters and jets took part in the drill at the Pocheon range, 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of the border, the defence ministry said.
The show of force came a day after the North's military threatened to open fire if a planned launch of leaflets by anti-Pyongyang activists near the disputed Yellow Sea border goes ahead.
South Korea is also holding a week-long naval exercise that began on Monday to mark the first anniversary of its warship sinking on March 26 last year.
The South accused the North of torpedoing the ship with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang denies the charge.
The sea exercise reportedly includes three days of training by South Korean warships and aircraft from Friday, simulating attacks by North Korean submarines, ships and jet fighters.
Massive naval firing training will be held on Saturday at three locations off the peninsula.
General Han Min-Koo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for strong and swift punishment of any military provocations by North Korea in the Yellow Sea.
"Our military must strongly punish the enemy with immediate and swift measures in case of contingencies" near the Yellow Sea border, he said after inspecting a drill by jet fighters in the southern city of Daegu.
The South, which has remained technically at war with its nuclear-armed neighbour since their conflict 60 years ago, says its drills are defensive.
But tensions between the two nations have risen since the North shelled a border island on November 23, killing four people.
This year South Korea has been staging a series of drills alone or together with US troops to test its battle readiness.
US and South Korean troops completed computerised joint war games on March 10, but joint field training will continue throughout March and April.
The North's military warned Wednesday that it would open fire if defectors from the communist country launch propaganda leaflets from Baengnyeong island, the closest land to the disputed sea border.
The defectors plan to launch leaflets on Friday or Saturday containing news of Arab uprisings and calling for the overthrow of the North's regime.
But residents in Baengnyeong island vowed on Thursday to block the leaflet launch for fear of a backlash from the North.
A South Korean armoured vehicle moves after landing at a beach in Taean, 170 kms southwest of Seoul, on March 23.
South Korean Air Force KF-16 jet fighters drop bombs during a live-firing exercise at Seungjin fire range in Pocheon, about 46 km (28 miles) northeast of Seoul and about 15 km (9 miles) south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army AH-1S Cobra helicopters take part in a live-firing exercise at Seungjin fire range in Pocheon, about 46 km (28 miles) northeast of Seouland about 15 km (9 miles) south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army's KiA1 tanks fire smoke bombs during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers) fromthe Koreas' heavily fortified border, South Korea Thursday, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army's K-9 self-propelled guns fire live rounds during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers)from the Koreas' heavily fortified border, South Korea, Thursday, March 24, 2011.
A South Korean Army's K1A1 tank fires during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the Koreas'heavily fortified border, South Korea Thursday, March 24, 2011.
Source: AFP
SOUTH KOREA - 24 MARCH 2011
SEOUL – South Korea launched a major live-fire drill Thursday near the tense land border with North Korea in a show of strength marking the first anniversary of the sinking of one of its warships.
Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery, helicopters and jets took part in the drill at the Pocheon range, 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of the border, the defence ministry said.
The show of force came a day after the North's military threatened to open fire if a planned launch of leaflets by anti-Pyongyang activists near the disputed Yellow Sea border goes ahead.
South Korea is also holding a week-long naval exercise that began on Monday to mark the first anniversary of its warship sinking on March 26 last year.
The South accused the North of torpedoing the ship with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang denies the charge.
The sea exercise reportedly includes three days of training by South Korean warships and aircraft from Friday, simulating attacks by North Korean submarines, ships and jet fighters.
Massive naval firing training will be held on Saturday at three locations off the peninsula.
General Han Min-Koo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for strong and swift punishment of any military provocations by North Korea in the Yellow Sea.
"Our military must strongly punish the enemy with immediate and swift measures in case of contingencies" near the Yellow Sea border, he said after inspecting a drill by jet fighters in the southern city of Daegu.
The South, which has remained technically at war with its nuclear-armed neighbour since their conflict 60 years ago, says its drills are defensive.
But tensions between the two nations have risen since the North shelled a border island on November 23, killing four people.
This year South Korea has been staging a series of drills alone or together with US troops to test its battle readiness.
US and South Korean troops completed computerised joint war games on March 10, but joint field training will continue throughout March and April.
The North's military warned Wednesday that it would open fire if defectors from the communist country launch propaganda leaflets from Baengnyeong island, the closest land to the disputed sea border.
The defectors plan to launch leaflets on Friday or Saturday containing news of Arab uprisings and calling for the overthrow of the North's regime.
But residents in Baengnyeong island vowed on Thursday to block the leaflet launch for fear of a backlash from the North.
A South Korean armoured vehicle moves after landing at a beach in Taean, 170 kms southwest of Seoul, on March 23.
South Korean Air Force KF-16 jet fighters drop bombs during a live-firing exercise at Seungjin fire range in Pocheon, about 46 km (28 miles) northeast of Seoul and about 15 km (9 miles) south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army AH-1S Cobra helicopters take part in a live-firing exercise at Seungjin fire range in Pocheon, about 46 km (28 miles) northeast of Seouland about 15 km (9 miles) south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army's KiA1 tanks fire smoke bombs during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers) fromthe Koreas' heavily fortified border, South Korea Thursday, March 24, 2011.
South Korean Army's K-9 self-propelled guns fire live rounds during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers)from the Koreas' heavily fortified border, South Korea, Thursday, March 24, 2011.
A South Korean Army's K1A1 tank fires during an exercise at Seungjin Fire Training Field in mountainous Pocheon, 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the Koreas'heavily fortified border, South Korea Thursday, March 24, 2011.
Source: AFP
