South Korea’s military said yesterday it would conduct its largest ever artillery drill near the border with North Korea, a day after Pyongyang said it had resumed plutonium production and would continue nuclear tests.
Seoul’s defence ministry said the large-scale drill marked the first anniversary of exchange of fire near the demilitarised zone that separates the two Koreas. On August 20 last year, North Korea fired at a South Korean frontline army unit near the zone, prompting South Korea to fire back amid high tension on the peninsula.
About 300 artillery pieces from 49 artillery battalions will take part in the live-fire exercise to counter possible provocations from North Korea, the ministry said.