S Korea to hold military drills following sinking of its warship

S KOREA: Responding to the recent sinking of its warship by the alleged Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s torpedo attack, the South Korean government said Monday it will hold military drills aimed at deterring further aggression of Pyongyang and put all exchanges and trade with the northern rival.

Seoul is planning to hold anti-submarine drills with the United States off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, the scene of the naval tragedy in late March that killed 46 South Korean sailors, and to hold military exercises aimed at deterring proliferation of Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction, defense minister Kim Tae-young said in a joint briefing with foreign and unification ministers.

The country will no longer allow DPRK-flagged vessels in the South's territorial waters and forcibly return them in case ships do not comply with the measure, while it immediately resumes anti- Pyongyang propaganda activities, Kim added.

Seoul, Monday, Xinhua