Seoul: The Marine Corps announced on Thursday that it conducted regular live-fire drills on islands situated near the sensitive inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the exercise involved K9 propelled howitzers and Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems and was held on the islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong, close to the Northern Limit Line (NLL), which serves as the de facto maritime border. The Marine Corps emphasized that these drills are defensive and form part of routine exercises conducted in waters south of the NLL.

During the exercise, troops reportedly discharged approximately 330 rounds into the surrounding waters. This marks the second occurrence of such drills this year, following an earlier session in February.

The live-fire drills had been suspended in 2018 as part of an inter-Korean agreement aimed at mitigating military tensions. However, South Korea resumed the drills in 2024 after the suspension of the pact under the previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol government. Despite speculation about potential suspension under the liberal Lee Jae Myung government, which aims to gradually restore the inter-Korean military pact, the military has continued to stage these drills near the border islands, conducting them on five occasions since June last year.

The Northwest Islands Defense Command, responsible for security on five islands in the Yellow Sea-Yeonpyeong, Baengnyeong, Daecheong, Socheong, and U Island-carries out live-fire drills every three months.