Goseong: South Korean soldiers conducted live-fire air defense drills near the inter-Korean border this week as part of efforts to maintain readiness against North Korean drone threats, the Army said Friday. The three-day exercise began Wednesday in a coastal area in the border county of Goseong, about 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, involving some 130 troops and eight anti-aircraft vehicles, including the K30 Biho and the K30W Chunho.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the drills took place with a focus on detecting and intercepting aerial targets simulating North Korean drones. Troops engaged these targets by firing some 600 rounds per minute from the anti-aircraft system's 30 millimeter guns to take them down. The military has recently focused on bolstering counter-drone capabilities after five North Korean drones crossed the border into South Korea in December 2022, with one even entering Seoul's airspace, highlighting the need for improved defense measures.