County Conducts Hyunmoo and Cheongung Launch Drills in Response to Northern Threats

Hyunmoo-Ⅱ Missile Range Up to 1000 km

The military is set to conduct launch drills for the surface-to-surface ballistic missile 'Hyunmoo' and the surface-to-air missile 'Cheongung.' This move is in response to North Korea's successive ballistic missile provocations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the military on the 5th, launch drills for the Hyunmoo-II series missiles and Cheongung are scheduled for the 6th. The timing may vary depending on weather conditions.

A military source stated, "In response to North Korea raising the level of provocations with recent launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), these launch drills with weapons capable of striking North Korea in case of emergency are being conducted as a warning to the North."

On the 31st of last month, North Korea test-fired the new solid-fuel ICBM Hwasong-19, and on the same day, it launched several short-range ballistic missiles, presumed to be 600mm-class super-large multiple rocket launchers (KN-25), into the East Sea.

The Hyunmoo-II missile is a surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) operated by the Army Missile Strategy Command. Depending on the upgraded version, its range is analyzed to reach up to 1,000 km. It can strike strategic targets across North Korea in case of emergency. In October 2022, when North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that flew about 4,500 km, the military responded by firing the Hyunmoo-IIC missile.

At that time, a joint South Korea-U.S. ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) surface-to-surface missile counter-fire was also conducted. This time, it is reported that the military plans to launch the Hyunmoo-IIC along with the surface-to-air guided missile 'Cheongung.' Cheongung is an air defense weapon system used to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles. Hyunmoo and Cheongung respectively represent the military’s precision strike and air defense capabilities, and operating them simultaneously is analyzed as a warning to demonstrate the ability to retaliate and deter regardless of the pattern of North Korean provocations.

A military official said, "North Korea is escalating the level of provocations by carrying out complex strategic provocations such as gray zone provocations like trash balloons as well as ballistic missile launches," adding, "This is to demonstrate readiness against the North and send a warning message to North Korea."