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| 2026-05-28 21:17:09
(LEAD) military-live-fire drills
(LEAD) S. Korea stages live-fire drills involving advanced, homegrown assets
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details, minor edits throughout; ADDS photo)
By Kim Hyun-soo
POCHEON, South Korea, May 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea staged an integrated military firepower exercise Thursday, showcasing advanced homegrown assets, including suicide drones and robots, and demonstrating its ground and air combat capabilities.
A warning broadcast echoed around a mountainous firing range in the border county of Pocheon that South Korea has come under a surprise attack by an enemy, signaling the launch of a response operation by the South Korean military in the simulated live-fire exercise.
The Joint Live-Fire Exercise was held at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, just 25 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border. Thursday's event was the last of three drills open to the public, with two similar drills held last week, according to the Ministry of Defense.
The first phase of the main exercise began under a simulated attack scenario by an enemy, with troops utilizing surveillance drones and satellite assets to collect data on the simulated target.
After a five-second countdown, neatly lined K9A1 self-propelled howitzers and K2 tanks fired away at their targets ahead, making massive noise as white smoke billowed from their artillery barrels.
After successfully pushing back the opponents, the troops turned to the second phase of the drills, focused on striking the enemy's mechanized forces using manned-unmanned teaming combat systems.
A number of surveillance drones scattered across the clear blue sky, as they gathered and shared relevant data and footage on enemy targets with the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven command and control center in real time.
"The commander's insight is combined with ultrahigh AI analysis to identify and recommend the most decisive strike points at the most fatal moment," an official broadcasting the event said.
Breezing through the dusty terrain, multi-purpose unmanned vehicles, accompanied by a multi-legged robot, pushed ahead to conduct preliminary survey of dangerous terrain inaccessible by humans.
To mark the final phase of the drills, troops aboard helicopters, including the CH-47F Chinook, landed for airborne assault operations, while K2 tanks and K21 infantry fighting vehicles fired at targets on the move.
Declaring the mission a success, green flares shot up at the sky to meet public cheer.
This year, the military mobilized some 1,400 troops from 27 units across the military branches -- the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps -- along with 457 pieces of equipment.
It showcased a wide range of ground and aerial assets, including the Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system, K2 tanks, K9A1 self-propelled howitzers and a homegrown KF-21 fighter jet, among many others.
Also mobilized were various unmanned assets, deemed critical in modern warfare, such as surveillance drones, "suicide drones" and multi-legged robots.
Thursday's event, hosted by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, was attended by over 1,900 people, including 400 citizen observers.
"Going forward, our military will continue to secure the capabilities needed to dominate future battlefield environments by integrating advanced AI and cutting-edge technology with existing weapons systems ... whose power and effectiveness you have witnessed firsthand," Ahn told a cheering crowd, adding South Korea will move forward without wavering on the path toward "self-reliant defense" capable of defending the country on its own.
To conclude the drills, a formation of the Air Force's aerobatic flight team pierced through the sky, trailed by colorful smoke in various formations.
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