[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s military said on Sept. 15 that it has fired two ballistic missiles in a swift response to North Korea’s latest provocation.

The Hyunmoo-2 missiles were launched from an eastern site near the inter-Korean border just six minutes after the North’s missile firing.

One “accurately hit” a simulated target in the East Sea about 250 kilometers away, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official told reporters in a background briefing.

It’s the same distance between the training area and the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang, where the missile was fired.

The other, however, fell into water “in the initial stage,” he added. Related authorities are analyzing the reason.

A defense ministry official pointed out the South’s response came while the North’s missile was still flying.

He stressed that the military was able to take such a quick measure as it detected signs of the secretive North preparing to fire the missile in advance. Related information was immediately reported to President Moon Jae-in who ordered the missile training.

By Alex Lee and newswires (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)