Reuters Videos
SK, US hold military drills after NK missile test
STORY: South Korean and American troops fired missiles into the sea on Wednesday (October 5), after Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile further than ever, sending it soaring over Japan for the first time in five years. One of the missiles from the South Korean side failed to launch and crashed during Wednesday’s drill, but no one was hurt. The allies earlier staged a bombing drill with fighter jets in the Yellow Sea, off the coast of South Korea. According to Seoul, American-made F-15K planes dropped guided bombs on a target off its west coast to demonstrate their precision strike capabilities. The US sent four F-16 fighter jets in the drills. US fighter jets also joined their Japanese counterparts in drills on Tuesday (October 4). US Air force brigadier Patrick Ryder said the exercises aimed to show that Washington and its allies in East Asia were a united force. “These exercises are an opportunity for our military members to work together, to exercise those capabilities, to one, send a message that we are prepared, and two, that if we need to fight we can and we can do it together.” The missile North Korea tested on Tuesday, the country’s fifth missile test in 10 days, appeared to fly over Japanese territory. Analysts say it could be a variant of the Hwasong-12 missile. That was previously unveiled in 2017, as part of what North Korea said was a plan to strike US military bases in Guam. The launch triggered missile warnings across Japan. Residents in Tokyo were told to duck for cover, as sirens blared, and an announcer said “North Korea has seemingly launched a missile.” The United Nations Security Council will meet on Wednesday to discuss North Korea, despite protests from China and Russia.
