The United States and South Korea have jointly fired eight surface-to-surface missiles since North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile program.
French media quoted South Korea’s defense ministry as saying the move was in response to North Korea’s test on Sunday.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, South Korean military officials have described the move as a “demonstration of readiness and capability” against any possible attack on North Korea’s missile program and its command and control center.
South Korean President Yoon Seokowal, who took office last month, has vowed to take a tougher line against North Korea and to hold joint exercises with US President Joe Biden at a summit in Seoul in May. And it was agreed to take joint defense measures.
According to Yonhap, South Korean and US forces fired eight surface-to-surface missiles in a short time at 5:15 p.m.
A South Korean security official confirmed that eight Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) had been launched.
North Korea fired short-range missiles at its east coast on Sunday, the only such test to be carried out the next day.
This is the first time that South Korea and the United States have agreed to joint military exercises.
Several weeks ago, North Korea criticized a joint US-South Korean military exercise, calling it a “hostile policy” against Pyongyang.
North Korea has launched a number of missile programs this year, including hypersonic and ballistic missile tests.
Officials in Washington and Seoul recently warned that the nuclear program would be revived for the first time since 2017.
Last month, North Korea tested three missiles, including one of the largest ballistic missiles, and Biden said at the end of a visit to Asia that steps would be taken to prevent nuclear weapons.
South Korea and the United States have called North Korea’s missile tests a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.