140 Artillery Shells Fired Near the DMZ: First Training in 6 Years Since the 9/19 Agreement

Army's Live-Fire Artillery Training

For the first time in approximately six years since the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement, the South Korean military has resumed live-fire artillery training near the land border. This follows recent maritime training exercises.

Training Details

On the morning of July 2, the military conducted artillery firing exercises at front-line ranges in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. About 90 shells were fired from K9 self-propelled howitzers in Gyeonggi, and 40 shells from K-105A1 wheeled self-propelled howitzers in Gangwon, totaling around 140 shells. These ranges are located within 5 km south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and have not been used for artillery training since the 9/19 agreement in 2018.

Changes in the Situation Since the 9/19 Agreement

Under the 2018 agreement, North and South Korea agreed to cease artillery firing and battalion-level field maneuver exercises within 5 km of the MDL. However, the situation changed with North Korea's recent provocations, including the release of propaganda balloons, GPS jamming attacks, and ballistic missile launches. In response, the South Korean government decided on June 4 to suspend the effectiveness of all provisions of the 9/19 agreement.

The Army's Position

The Army stated, "This is the first ground artillery training since the normalization of training following the suspension of the 9/19 agreement," emphasizing that the training focused on enhancing response capabilities and firepower readiness in the event of enemy provocations. The Army plans to regularly conduct artillery firing and maneuver unit training in border areas to improve integrated firepower operation capabilities and overall military preparedness.

Resumption of Marine Corps Training

The Marine Corps also resumed its regular K9 self-propelled howitzer maritime firing training in the northwestern islands on June 26. This type of training had been prohibited under the 9/19 agreement, requiring the Marine Corps to previously relocate K9 howitzers inland for training.

Future Plans

The military intends to continue large-scale joint field maneuver exercises near the MDL, which were suspended under the 9/19 agreement, to send a strong warning to North Korea as it escalates its provocations and military cooperation with Russia.

 

 

 

Starting Google Play App Distribution! "Tester Share" for Recruiting 20 Testers for a Closed Test.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maccrey.tester_share_release

Tester Share [테스터쉐어] - Google Play 앱