South Korea's military said Tuesday it will stage an anti-submarine drill in the Yellow Sea from this week as planned, despite North Korea's latest warning of "strong physical retaliation" against it.
"The planned naval drill in the Yellow Sea will be carried out in our waters as scheduled," said an official at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, noting the exercise is defensive and aimed at improving the military's readiness.
South Korea plans to hold a five-day exercise from Thursday in the Yellow Sea near the sea border with the North, its second such drill in less than two weeks, in response to March's deadly sinking of a warship blamed on the North.
The drill will involve about 10 ships including a 4,500-ton destroyer and a 1,800-ton submarine, as well as KF-15/16 fighter jets and anti-submarine
aircraft, according to South Korean officials.
Practicing anti-submarine warfare capabilities have been particularly important for the South's military because a multinational investigation
concluded that the 1,200-ton frigate Cheonan was sunk in March by a torpedo fired from a North Korean submarine. Forty-six sailors were killed in the attack, but the North denies any role in it.
"Instead of making threats, North Korea must frankly admit its responsibility for the attack on the Cheonan and make an apology," the JCS official said.
Earlier in the day, the North's military command overseeing the maritime border warned that it "made a decisive resolution to counter the reckless
naval firing projected by the group of traitors with strong physical retaliation."
Late last month, South Korea and the U.S. held four days of large-scale naval and air drills in the East Sea to deter future provocations from North Korea.