North Korea conducts live-fire drills with artillery, missiles

Key facts

• North Korea conducted a live-fire drill on Saturday involving long-range artillery and missile units.
• The drill tested weapon systems including attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and multiple rocket launchers.
• South Korea's military detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from North Korea toward the East Sea.
• The missiles flew approximately 250 kilometers.
• The exercise aimed to improve troops' capabilities to 'completely collapse the enemy' on command.

North Korea conducted a live-fire drill on Saturday involving long-range artillery and missile units, state media KCNA reported on Monday. The "joint firepower attack drill" engaged five army units and tested several weapon systems, including various attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and large-caliber multiple rocket launchers. KCNA cited an artillery director stating the drill would boost troop morale and improve their capabilities to "completely collapse the enemy" on command.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed on Saturday that North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast. The missiles were detected launching from the Wonsan area around 5:20 a.m. and flew approximately 250 kilometers before landing in the sea. This launch followed the conclusion of a five-day trilateral military exercise involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan.