North Korea slams South's military drill

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (R) and his son and heir Jong-un are depicted in this undated photo released by the KCNA news agency

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156749.html


North Korea has slammed South Korea's major ground and air live-fire drill amid growing tension on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's military ended a major live-fire exercise involving tanks, artillery and fighter planes, AFP reported on Thursday.

The South started the war game in the Pocheon region, between the South Korean capital Seoul and the heavily armed De-Militarized Zone separating the two Koreas at 2:43 pm (0543 GMT) and ended at 3:24 pm.

More than 800 military personnel took part in the exercise. It also included six fighter jets, anti-tank missiles, and involve more than 100 types of weapons.

The two Koreas got engaged in an artillery fire exchange on the Yeonpyeong Island during which four South Koreans were killed. Tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula since then.

According to an army spokesman, the Thursday drill at Pocheon, 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the border, was the biggest of its kind to be held at the range.

The drill at the Pocheon range would "demonstrate our solid military preparedness,” First Armoured Battalion commander Choo Eun-Sik said earlier on Wednesday.

In recent months, the United States and South Korea have conducted several massive joint sea and air drills in waters east of the Korean Peninsula.

The North has called the drills provocative and an effort to trigger a war, warning the South against holding more joint military exercises with Washington.

Tensions erupted between the two Koreas after last month's deadly clash between South and North Korean forces along their disputed sea borders.

The fighting left four South Koreans, including two civilians, dead. Each side blames the other for initiating the fighting.