US helicopters hold live-fire drills in South Korea

SEOUL: US Army Apache attack helicopters stationed in South Korea are holding live-fire drills with guns and rockets, the US military said on Monday, as Seoul looks to boost deterrence against the nuclear-armed North.

The drills -- the first such exercises since 2019 -- come after a record-breaking blitz of weapons tests by Pyongyang this year, including firing an intercontinental ballistic missile at full range for the first time since 2017.

The training, which runs to July 29, is being carried out at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, close to the heavily-fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, the US 2nd Infantry Division told AFP.

The drills ensure US air crews "are qualified on their Apaches, maintain their proficiency on their helicopters, and are capable of executing their mission if called upon," a spokesperson said in a statement sent to AFP.

According to local reports, the US military stopped using the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon in 2018 due to complaints from local residents about noise and safety.

The ongoing drills are understood to be for "noise measurement", an official from Seoul’s defence ministry said, apparently referring to locals’ concerns over the disruption.

But the two countries, long-time regional security allies, said in May that they were looking to ramp up joint military exercises, which had been scaled back due to Covid-19, and during a bout of failed diplomacy with the North.

South Korea’s hawkish new President Yoon Suk-yeol -- who took office in May -- has vowed a tougher stance against Pyongyang, vowing to "normalise" US-South Korea joint military drills.

Such exercises have always infuriated the North, which considers them rehearsals for invasion.