(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. troops hold joint firing drills near border with N. Korea

▲ Armored vehicles of South Korea and the United States attend a joint exercise held in Pocheon, 46 kilometers northeast of Seoul, in this undated photo provided by the South Korean Army. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) S Korea-US-drills

(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. troops hold joint firing drills near border with N. Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES with North Korean military's winter drills in last three paras)

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have staged a joint live-fire exercise near the border with North Korea to bolster their joint combat readiness, the Army said Thursday.

South Korea's Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and the U.S. Stryker Brigade Combat Team from the 2nd Infantry Division were mobilized for the drills, which have been under way in the border city of Pocheon, 46 kilometers northeast of Seoul, since Dec. 29. It runs through Friday.

The allies' first joint training of the year was aimed at bolstering combined operational capabilities against North Korea's military threats, the Army said.

The drill involved 110 weapons systems from South Korea and the U.S, including K1A2 tanks, A-19 combat aircraft, Stryker armored vehicles and artillery systems.

The exercise simulated A-10 combat aircraft's precision-guided strike on simulated targets, K1A2 tanks' firing and integrated tank-air defense shooting.

The South Korean military has conducted a series of firing drills and other maneuvers this week, drawing sharp criticism from North Korea.

On Thursday, North Korea's state media said South Korea began the new year with "self-destructive" acts, warning that chances of a clash between the two sides will be the highest this year.

The South Korean military said it has heightened monitoring on North Korea's moves to deter potential provocations.

"The North Korean military has been carrying out winter drills since the end of last year, a level similar to the previous years," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun said in a press briefing.

The North usually kicks off regular military training in December, which continues through early spring and often involves artillery firing drills.

(END)

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