South Korean army used 'banned' cluster munitions during live-fire drills

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – The South Korean army conducted live-fire drills with cluster munitions, which are prohibited in many countries around the world, local media reported on Thursday.

The South Korean army mobilized approximately 150 troops to participate in nighttime firing drills in the coastal area of Goseong, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Seoul, using cluster munitions to strengthen its firepower, according to Yonhap News Agency.

During the two-day drill on Tuesday and Wednesday, the army also deployed equipment such as the K9A1 and K55A1 self-propelled howitzers, as well as the K77 armored vehicle.

The use of cluster bombs in or near populated areas is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions on Cluster Munitions, because they threaten the lives of civilians.

Over 100 countries have ratified the convention, which prohibits the production, stockpiling, use, and transfer of cluster munitions, though major powers such as the US, Russia, China, and South Korea have yet to sign.

Cluster munitions disperse a large number of smaller bomblets over a wide area, posing a significant risk to civilian populations due to their indiscriminate nature.

However, the South Korean army said the drills were designed to improve its readiness posture in the face of the enemy's firepower.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid