Military to Begin Live-Fire Training in Forward Areas as Early as Next Month [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

Military Declares "End of Buffer Zone for Hostile Acts"
Plans to Set Training Schedule This Month
Revival of Firing Range Frozen by Military Agreement

Military officials stated on the 9th, "We plan to set a schedule for live-fire training to be conducted within the buffer zones for hostile acts on land, sea, and air within this month." This is because all forward firing ranges have been reinstated following the declaration that "there are no buffer zones for the suspension of hostile acts on land and sea according to the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Live-fire training on land will use firing ranges within 5 km of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which is the buffer zone for hostile acts. These include the Story Firing Range (Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do), Cheonmiri Firing Range (Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do), Jeokgeori Firing Range (Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do), Chilseong Firing Range (Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do), and Songjiho Firing Range (Goseong Firing Range, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do).

Various live-fire exercises have also become possible. The Songjiho Firing Range on the East Coast is recognized as the only training ground capable of live-fire exercises for the next-generation 230mm multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) Cheonmu, which has a maximum range of 80 km. It can also be used to fire the Navy’s 76mm naval gun. The Machajin anti-aircraft firing range in Goseong, Gangwon-do, known as the largest anti-aircraft firing range in the military, can also be utilized as a ballistic missile launch site in response to provocations from North Korea.

Sea firing exercises have also become possible. The seven Marine Corps companies stationed on Baengnyeongdo and Yeonpyeongdo had previously conducted firing training on land due to the military agreement. However, starting as early as next month, they will conduct firing exercises toward the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea. Navy vessels are expected to resume naval gunfire. Air-to-ground guided weapon firing using Apache helicopters is also possible within the no-fly zones.

If live-fire training is conducted within the buffer zones, there are concerns that North Korea may use this as a pretext to carry out "land, sea, and air provocations." In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "In the event of provocations, we will overwhelmingly and decisively retaliate according to the principle of 'immediate, strong, and final' (즉·강·끝)."

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