Our Military Also Conducts Naval Gunfire Exercises in the Northwest Islands

Marine 6th Brigade and Yeonpyeong Unit Conduct Firing Drill Using K9 Self-Propelled Howitzers

Our military conducted retaliatory naval gunfire exercises in the northwestern islands in response to North Korea's maritime firing provocations.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to military authorities on the 5th, the Marine 6th Brigade stationed on Baengnyeongdo and the Yeonpyeong Unit located on Yeonpyeongdo conducted naval firing drills from around 3 p.m. using K9 self-propelled howitzers and tank guns. This is the first time since the September 19, 2018 inter-Korean military agreement that the marine units deployed in the northwestern islands have conducted naval firing exercises.

Earlier, North Korea conducted maritime firing near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the northwestern island area, the northernmost part of the West Sea. Most of the shells fired by the North Korean military are known to have been launched from coastal artillery. The shells fired by North Korea fell into the maritime buffer zone where naval firing is prohibited under the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement. In preparation for any emergency, residents of Yeonpyeongdo and Baengnyeongdo were urgently evacuated.

Lee Seong-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated at an emergency press conference in the afternoon, "From around 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. today, the North Korean military fired more than 200 rounds in the area around Jangsan Cape north of Baengnyeongdo and Dansan Cape north of Yeonpyeongdo." He added, "There were no casualties among our citizens or military personnel, and the impact points were in the northern area of the Northern Limit Line (NLL)."

The maritime buffer zone was established around the NLL in the West and East Seas to prevent maritime military clashes, according to the September 19, 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. Conducting artillery firing or naval maneuvering exercises in the maritime buffer zone constitutes a violation of the military agreement. The last time the North Korean military conducted firing exercises in the maritime buffer zone was on December 6, 2022, when they fired toward the East Sea from the Goseong and Geumgang areas in Gangwon Province. The resumption of firing in the maritime buffer zone by North Korea is interpreted as an attempt to escalate military tensions.

Lee said, "We sternly warn that the responsibility for the escalation of this crisis lies entirely with North Korea and strongly urge an immediate halt," adding, "Our military is closely tracking and monitoring related developments in close cooperation with the United States and will take corresponding measures in response to North Korea's provocations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.