Seoul: South Korea announced today a series of heavy-weaponry, live-fire military drills with the United States as part response to a recent landmine attack blamed on North Korea.
Four exercises, involving tanks, howitzers, attack helicopters and fighter bombers, will be held in the coming weeks in an area around 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of the North Korean border, the defence ministry said.
"This will show our preparedness to retaliate against any provocative acts, including such a treacherous act of aggression as the landmine attack", a ministry spokesman said.
Speaking at an official function at her Blue House residence, President Park Geun-Hye reiterated that South Korea would "deal strongly" with any North Korean provocation.
The annual drills always trigger a surge in military tensions with the nuclear-armed North which has repeatedly condemned them as rehearsals for invasion.
The military said investigations showed North Korean soldiers had sneaked across the border to plant the mines along a known patrol route.
South Korea has ramped up border security in the wake of the blasts and -- after a break of more than a decade -- resumed the broadcast of propaganda messages into the North, using batteries of powerful loudspeakers along the border.
Briefing parliament today, Defence Minister Han Min-Koo said the loudspeakers were now operating at four out of a possible 11 sites.
Four exercises, involving tanks, howitzers, attack helicopters and fighter bombers, will be held in the coming weeks in an area around 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of the North Korean border, the defence ministry said.
"This will show our preparedness to retaliate against any provocative acts, including such a treacherous act of aggression as the landmine attack", a ministry spokesman said.
Speaking at an official function at her Blue House residence, President Park Geun-Hye reiterated that South Korea would "deal strongly" with any North Korean provocation.
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The annual drills always trigger a surge in military tensions with the nuclear-armed North which has repeatedly condemned them as rehearsals for invasion.
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The military said investigations showed North Korean soldiers had sneaked across the border to plant the mines along a known patrol route.
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South Korea has ramped up border security in the wake of the blasts and -- after a break of more than a decade -- resumed the broadcast of propaganda messages into the North, using batteries of powerful loudspeakers along the border.
Advertisement
Briefing parliament today, Defence Minister Han Min-Koo said the loudspeakers were now operating at four out of a possible 11 sites.
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