South Korea conducts anti-submarine drill

According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, artillery was fired and anti-submarine bombs were dropped on Thursday off Taenan, some 150 kilometers south of the South Korean capital Seoul.

10 warships, including a 3,000-ton destroyer were involved in the drills. Depth charges and ship-mounted guns were also tested.

The exercises, which lasted one day, took place far from the disputed western sea border with North Korea where a South Korean warship was sunk on 26 March.

An international team of investigators recently laid the blame on North Korea, saying it had sunk the ship with a submarine-fired torpedo. 46 sailors were killed in the attack.

There has been a sharp rise in tension since the findings of the investigation were released. Pyongyang has denied all involvement in the attack, saying that Seoul is using the incident as a pretext to act aggressively.

Earlier this week, North Korea cut off all relations with the South and on Thursday it announced it would "completely nullify" an inter-Korean agreement that has the goal of preventing accidental armed skirmishes along the western border.

Meanwhile, in Seoul some 10,000 people took to the streets on Thursday to demand revenge attacks against North Korea, according to AFP news agency.

The protesters, who included war veterans, also called on the government to punish any politicians who have raised questions about the findings of the investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan.

act/AP/AFP/dpa
Editor: Disha Uppal