Article Posted on : - Dec 13, 2010

SEOUL (AP): South Korea's military has begun new firing drills -the latest in its series of exercises amid high tension over North Korea's deadly shelling on a South Korean island.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff says the drills began Monday and are to continue through Friday at 27 sites across South Korea.

A Joint Chiefs of Staff officer says that none of the drills are to occur near the tense western Korean sea border, where last month's attack took place. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office policy.

North Korea unleashed artillery shells on front-line Yeonpyeong Island on November 23, killing four South Koreans.

It was North Korea's first attack to target a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice.