South Korea’s 1st Corps Showcases Readiness with Integrated Firepower Drill Against Enemy Provocations

On Thursday, the South Korean Army’s 1st Corps conducted an Integrated Firepower Annihilation Drill at a Paju, Gyeonggi Province training ground.

The exercise simulated a large-scale enemy artillery provocation and involved 11 artillery units under the corps command, an aviation battalion, and Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) teams.

The drill began with deploying various detection and surveillance assets, including counter-battery radars, deep reconnaissance units, and thermal observation devices (TOD), to identify the source of the simulated attack rapidly.

Once the origin was confirmed, K9 and K55A1 self-propelled howitzers immediately opened fire, targeting enemy support and command elements.

The exercise progressed to an integrated fire combat phase featuring Army 500 attack helicopters and Air Force TACP units. This phase included suppressive fire against enemy air defense systems while coordinating all available corps fire support assets. Corps officials noted that the exercise also incorporated live-fire training with the K105A1 self-propelled howitzer (Pungik) and drills to refine contingency response procedures.

Colonel Lee Jeong Hoon, the Corps’s Chief of Firepower, stated, “We confirmed our capability and readiness to swiftly and decisively respond to enemy provocations under any adverse conditions. Amidst the grave security situation, we will do our utmost to ensure the public can feel secure by maintaining a fully prepared posture.”