South Korea conducts missile drill after North Korea's 'hydrogen bomb' test

The South's military said the range to the simulated targets were equivalent to the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site in its northeastern province.

Seoul, Sep 4: Amid tensions building between the North and the South Korea, Seoul has launched a ballistic missile exercise in response to Pyongyang's provocative detonation, which it claimed was a miniaturised hydrogen bomb, said reports.

The South's military conducted a live-fire exercise late yesterday simulating an attack on the North's nuclear site, hitting "designated targets in the East Sea", the report added, quoting the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The training came in response to the North's sixth nuclear test... and involved the country's Hyunmoo ballistic missile and the F-15K fighter jets," it said.

The South's military said the range to the simulated targets were equivalent to the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site in its northeastern province. US President Donald Trump today criticised Seoul.

South Korea, Trump said, "is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!"

The United States warned it could launch a "massive military response" to threats from North Korea.

The test had registered with international seismic agencies as a man-made earthquake near a test site. Japanese and South Korean officials said the tremor was about 10 times more powerful than the one picked up after North Korea's previous nuclear test a year ago.

PTI