The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced on November 8 that the military held a live-fire exercise on November 7 in Taean County on the west coast, 108 km southwest of Seoul, according to Yonhap news agency.

During the exercise, the South Korean military launched a Hyunmoo-2 short-range ballistic missile toward a target in the Yellow Sea, assumed to be a North Korean missile launch source.

"Through this live-fire exercise, the military demonstrated its strong resolve to respond to any provocation by North Korea, as well as its capability and readiness to strike precisely at the source of the enemy's provocation," the JCS said.

The South Korean military said it will continue to closely monitor North Korea's military activities, along with the US, and maintain readiness to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.

According to AFP, the Hyunmoo missile is a key component of South Korea's preemptive strike system, allowing the country to launch a preemptive strike if it senses North Korea is about to act.

In October, South Korea unveiled the Hyunmoo-5, the largest of its kind of ballistic missile, capable of destroying underground bunkers.

South Korea's military drills are in response to a series of recent missile launches by the North.

On November 5, North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea east of the Korean Peninsula. Observers said the missiles were launched from 600mm diameter multiple launch rocket systems. Last week, North Korea test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile called the Hwasong-19.