US and South Korea fire eight missiles in response to North Korean launches

Allies say exercise demonstrates their capabilities of launching precision strikes against any ‘provocation’

The US and South Korea launched eight ballistic missiles into the sea in a show of force to match what appeared to be North Korea’s record missile tests on a single day.

The allies conducted the joint missile launches on Monday to demonstrate “capability and posture to launch immediate precision strikes” in response to North Korea’s “provocations”.

Eight surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) – one American and seven South Korean missiles – were fired in 10 minutes, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Forces Korea.