19 February 2012 Last updated at 21:34 ETSouth Korea's Yeonpyeong island was hit by a North Korean artillery attack in 2010
South Korea has begun live fire military drills from islands near disputed sea borders with the North despite threats of attack.

The drills, which North Korea has called "premeditated military provocation", are to last two hours.

Pyongyang, when told by Seoul of the plans for the drills on Sunday, warned it will retaliate for any attacks on its territory.

There has been no reported action from the North.

A North Korean military officer told the Associated Press on Sunday that North Koreans will "dedicate their blood to defend their inviolable territory".

The drills are taking place in an area where four South Koreans were killed in 2010 in a North Korean artillery attack.

Residents on the islands were asked to go to underground shelters before the drills began, an officer at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told AP.

The peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since 1953 when the Korean conflict ended in a truce. Tensions remained high following the death of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il two months ago.

Mr Kim was succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, and political observers are closely watching indications of how cross border relationships may change or develop.



Article Source : BBC News

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