Following maritime training, the South Korean military conducted live-fire artillery training near the North Korean border on land for the first time in about six years since the 9/19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement.
A military official announced on the 2nd, “For the first time in six years, the army resumed artillery firing training at the firing range located within 3.1 miles of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Live-fire training had been suspended due to the 9/19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement.” This training took place at the Jeokgeori Firing Range in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and the Chilseong Firing Range in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. It has been reported that the K-9 and K-105A1 self-propelled howitzers fired about 90 and 40 rounds respectively.
A military official explained, “This is the first ground firing training since training was normalized, following the suspension of the 9/19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement by the government on June 4. The training focused on enhancing the ability to respond to enemy provocations and strengthening the firepower posture.”
The official also emphasized, “The army plans to regularly conduct artillery firing and mobile unit training in the border areas, cultivating the ability to carry out offensive combat and enhancing military readiness.” According to the 9/19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement, South Korea and North Korea agreed to completely cease artillery firing training and regiment-level outdoor mobile training within 3.1 miles from the MDL. The South Korean military had complied with this agreement.
Following the 9/19 agreement, the South Korean army had not been operating firing ranges such as the Story Firing Range (Paju, Gyeonggi Province), Cheonmili Firing Range (Yanggu County, Gangwon Province), Jeokgeori Firing Range (Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province), Chilseong Firing Range (Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province), and Song Ji Ho Firing Range (Goseong Firing Range·Goseong County, Gangwon Province).
As the forward units had to use other firing ranges far from the MDL, the units preferred utilizing the alternative training grounds, naturally reducing the scale and frequency of training. There were concerns about the time and cost related to soldiers and equipment movement, as well as the weakening of the immediate firing readiness posture.
As North Korea continued provocations such as ballistic missile launches, scattering waste balloons toward South Korea, GPS jamming attacks, and MDL violations, following their failure to launch a military reconnaissance satellite on May 27, the government suspended the effect of all clauses of the 9/19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement at the State Council on June 4.
Subsequently, on June 26, respective units conducted live-fire artillery training targeting the West Sea maritime buffer zone in Baengnyeong Island and Yeonpyeong Island. This training has also been suspended under the 9.19 agreement.
It is also reported that the South Korean military soon plans to conduct large-scale joint outdoor mobile training and joint firing training of the army and navy near the MDL, which had not been conducted due to the agreement.
While the military authorities expect a strengthened military readiness posture in the frontline areas, there are concerns that the military tension in the border areas may increase with North Korea using the training as an excuse for future provocations.