S. Korea, US launch 8 missiles
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South Korea and the United States launched eight surface-to-surface missiles off South Korea's east coast early Monday, according to a South Korean defense ministry official.
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A surface-to-surface missile was launched during a joint live-firing exercise between the US and South Korea (Yonhap via REUTERS)
South Korea and the US launched eight surface-to-surface missiles off South Korea's east coast early Monday after North Korea launched a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, according to South Korean Yonhap news agency.
North Korea’s launch came a day after South Korea and the US concluded joint military exercises.
The ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles were fired "at various targets" into the Sea of Japan from an eastern coastal region in South Korea's Gangwon Province, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency cited the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying.
"The South Korea-US combined firing of the ground-to-ground missiles demonstrated the capability and posture to launch immediate precision strikes on the origins of provocations and their command and support forces," the JCS added.
On its account, the US Indo-Pacific Command said that the drill included one US Army missile and seven from South Korea.
It is worth mentioning that South Korea's military has strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launches and urged Pyongyang to refrain from raising regional military tensions.
During his Memorial Day speech at Seoul's National Cemetery on Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that the country would "sternly respond to any kind of North Korean provocation."
Meanwhile, North Korea has criticized previous joint exercises as evidence of Washington's "hostile policies" toward Pyongyang.
North Korea launched three missiles last month, including the Hwasong-17, which is thought to be the country's largest intercontinental ballistic missile.
South Korean and American forces also fired missiles in response to the tests.
