Seoul, South Korea
CNN
–
The United States and South Korea launched four missiles off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday morning local time, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The test was the second Allied exercise in less than 24 hours, following a provocative test launch Tuesday morning by neighboring North Korea, which launched an unannounced ballistic missile over Japan in a significant escalation of its test program. on weapons.
The United States and South Korea initially responded to the provocation on Tuesday with a precision bombing exercise, which involved a South Korean F-15K fighter firing two air-to-surface ammunition at a virtual target at a shooting range in the west. of the Korean Peninsula. for South Korean joint leaders.
Allies typically respond to North Korea’s missile tests with military exercises.
Wednesday’s launch included four ATACMS missiles, the South Korean joint leaders said. Also known as Army tactical missile systems, such weapons are surface-to-surface missiles that can fly for approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers).
According to John Kirby, the National Security Council’s strategic communications coordinator, the launch was designed to demonstrate that the United States and its allies have “the military capabilities ready to respond to provocations from the North.”
“This isn’t the first time we’ve done this in response to Northern provocations to make sure we can prove our skills,” Kirby told CNN’s Pamela Brown in “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”
“We want to see the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, (North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) has shown no inclination to move in that direction, frankly it is moving in the opposite direction by continuing to conduct these missile tests which are violations of Security Council resolutions. “, he added.
