South Korea goes ahead with drills despite threats

20/12/10 08:42 CET

world news

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South Korea has carried out live firing drills on an island near the border with the North, despite threats of retaliation from Pyongyang if the exercises went ahead.

Earlier the UN Security Council failed to reach agreement over the Korean crisis.

Local people on Yeonpyeong were told to shelter in bunkers during the hour-long exercises.

Most residents are now back on the island after being evacuated last month. It followed shelling by Pyongyang in response to similar South Korean exercises.

North Korea warned last week that it would strike even harder if the latest drills went ahead.

In New York there was deadlock. Russia and China urged the South to stop, while the US backed its ally.

Susan Rice, US envoy to the United Nations expressed her frustration at the outcome:
“And while we still are waiting firm, clear instructions from every capital, I think it’s safe to predict that the gaps that remain are unlikely to be bridged.”

Other diplomats said it was possible the UN security council would return to the issue on Monday.

Meanwhile in Seoul where anti-war protests also failed to stop the drills, the tension hit the Korean markets and shares fell.

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