South Korea to stage firing drills off coasts

South Korea will conduct live-fire drills at sea on Monday, the latest in a series of military exercises taking place against a backdrop of heightened tension with North Korea, a military official said on Sunday. 

"The drills running through Dec 17 are routine," the  official, who declined to be named, said                                       

However, the official added that islands near the disputed  maritime border off the west coast that were the scene of an  exchange of fire last month were not currently included in the  exercises.   

Tensions on the Korean peninsula rose sharply after North Korea shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, killing  four people, on Nov 23. The South has vowed to hit back hard  against its neighbour if Pyongyang repeats the attack.                                           

North Korea appears to have made few concessions when Chinese state Councilor Dai Bingguo met the isolated North's leader Kim Jong-il last week, the Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an unnamed Seoul official.               

Washington is pressing China to rein its ally Pyongyang, and US defence secretary Robert Gates will visit China next  month.