The drills are spread off the RoK’s east, west and south coasts; the most contentious area - the disputed western sea border - has been largely excluded.

It comes two weeks after the DPRK shelled a Southern island in response to previous military exercises there, killing four the Republic of Koreans.

The DPRK has warned that it viewed any such activity as provocative.

The RoK’s new defence minister, installed after the attack on Yeonpyeong island, has said he would use air strikes against the North if it attacks civilians again.

The US hosted talks on December 6 with Japan and the RoK on ways to deal with the DPRK.

All three nations have so far failed to back China's call for a resumption of stalled six-party talks on ending the DPRK’s nuclear activities.