S Korea lost track of missile fired in response to N Korean IRBM launch: officials

It was one of the two Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) rockets the South Korean military fired into the East Sea following the North’s IRBM launch on October 4. US Forces Korea also fired two ATACMS missiles in the combined drills.

The missile went “out of contact”, meaning it remained unknown whether it hit the intended target. The three other missiles accurately hit mock targets, according to informed sources.

After the drills, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired for precision strikes at the targets, and that the allies demonstrated their combined force to deter additional North Korean provocations.

Also in response to the North’s IRBM launch, the South Korean military sent aloft a Hyunmoo-2C ballistic missile.

But it fell inside a military base after an abnormal flight. Its warhead was found around 1km from the launch point and just 700 metres away from the nearest civilian home, a JCS official said, requesting anonymity.

The Korea Herald

Asia News Network