South Korea has strengthened its air force units, especially standby planes, to better conduct offensive missions against North Korean threats, air force chief of staff Park Jong-heon has said.

“The aircraft are on standby, loaded with arms that allow them to precisely bomb long-distance targets,” Park added.

He also said the planes were ready to strike nearby targets that have been mobilised for provocation as well as the origin of provocation.

South Korea is also speeding up the acquisition of a precision-guided bomb, the joint direct attack munition, to be able to counter North Korea’s 340 long-distance artillery guns, according to Yonhap News.