Army conducts artillery exercise along east coast amid North Korean threats

South Korea's Army conducted a live-fire artillery exercise along the east coast on Monday amid continuous threats of attacks and missile and artillery launches by North Korea.

The large-scale naval firing drill along the East Sea mobilized artillery units belonging to the three Army corps stationed along the eastern front of the inter-Korean border, according to the military.

The drill simulated an artillery counter-attack against a supposed North Korean naval provocation, the Army noted.

About 20 artillery weapons were mobilized in the one-day drill, including the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer and the 130 millimeter multiple launch rocket system, the Army said.

Counter-artillery radar and unmanned aerial vehicles were also brought in for the exercise, along with naval warships.

"By using the simulated land-naval artillery drill in the East Sea region, the military could double-check its combat readiness against any kind of provocation by the enemy at any time," the Army said in a statement.

North Korea "can engage in unexpected provocations in an unexpected manner at any time," Lt. Col. Kim Moon-jae said after participating in the drill. "If the enemy provokes, we will retaliate resolutely and powerfully so they will regret having taken the initial step."

The drill came as tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula.

In response to South Korea's joint military drills with the United States from early March, the North has ratcheted up its virulent threats to launch attacks on the allies and conducted a series of short- to medium-range missile launches and artillery test-firings in a show of military force. (Yonhap)