US, South Korea conduct bombing drill hours after North Korea missile launch

Seoul [South Korea], October 4 : The United States and South Korea jointly conducted a bombing drill on a Yellow Sea island, the South Korean military said on Tuesday, hours after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan earlier today. This is the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the F-15K dropped the Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs at a target on the island of Jikdo after joint air drills with US warplanes, Yonhap news agency reported.
"Through the combined flight of the air strike package and precision strike drills, South Korea and the United States demonstrated their will to respond sternly to any Northern threats as well as their capabilities to conduct a precision strike at the origin of provocations based on the alliance's overwhelming forces," the JCS said in a press release.
In an earlier statement, US Indo-Pacific Command said they are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch today, including that it overflew Japan. "We are consulting closely with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), as well as other regional allies and partners, to address the threats posed by the DPRK."
The United States condemned these actions and called on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.
"While we have assessed that this event does not pose a threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defence of Japan and the ROK remain ironclad," the statement said.
Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea.
Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal.