Navy launches live-fire drill in East Sea against N.K. provocations

The Navy launched a firing drill in the East Sea Tuesday to boost its capabilities against possible provocations by North Korea, the Navy said.
  

The drill, which involved firing ship-to-ship guided missiles, along with the tactical training, "is meant to boost and check our capabilities of conducting the military's joint operations against possible provocations by North Korea such as those near the western sea border of the Northern Limit Line (NLL)," the Navy said in a statement.
  

The drill involves some 20 vessels, including the Aegis destroyer DDG-992 Yulgok Yii, convoys and submarines, as well as a Lynx anti-submarine helicopter and KF-16 and K-5 fighter jets.
  

"The live-fire drill includes the launching of the Haesung-1 and Harpoon anti-ship missiles," the statement said, adding that the Air Force also carried out firing drills aimed at targets on the sea.
  

The Haesung-1, with a range of 150 kilometers, was developed by South Korea's Agency for Defense Development, and the Harpoon, from the United States, is an over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile with a similar range.
  

In case of enemies' provocations, our military will chase them to the end to bury them at sea. We maintain a full-fledged readiness to attack even the origin of the provocations," said Brig. Gen. Park No-chun, who commanded the drill. (Yonhap)