S. Korea capable of fending off NK missiles: defense minister

Published : Mar 6, 2017 - 16:55 Updated : Mar 6, 2017 - 16:55

Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Monday that South Korea is capable of defending itself from any missiles launched by North Korea, after Pyongyang fired four projectiles earlier in the day.

During his meeting with lawmakers, Han said North Korean missiles targeting the (southern part of) Korean Peninsula can be blocked with the South's defense systems under development, such as long-range surface-to-air missiles, mid-range surface-to-air missiles, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo attends a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on March 6, 2017. (Yonhap)

Han also said North Korea is currently seeking to develop various types of missiles, including short-range models that can fly 120 kilometers, or even intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach as far as 120,000 km.

On Monday, North Korea fired the missiles from the Dongchang-ri long-range missile site in North Pyongan Province at 7:34 a.m.

All flew about 1,000 km before falling into the East Sea. South Korea's military detected the launch at 7:36 a.m. (Yonhap)