South Korea Holds Civil Defence Drills against a Possible Attack by the North

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South Korea on Friday staged a civil defence drill as part of annual emergency training to prepare
for any possible attack by North Korea.
A warning siren sounded at 0500GMT in the heart of Seoul to signal the start of the drill wherein
an attack was simulated.
Drivers stopped their vehicles on the roads and hundreds of South Korean citizens and
government officials came out of buildings and rushed into a basement shelter. Some participated
in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.
"The exercise was conducted with prior notice given to evacuating residents, to go to safe areas
quickly so that people's lives can be saved, in case of terror and disaster, especially a possible
missile attack from North Korea," said director of Emergency Planning and Civil Defence from
Seoul Metropolitan Government Jang Sung-gu.
The two Koreas are still technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce without
a peace treaty.
On March 4, North Korea fired additional short-range missiles into the sea off the east coast of the
Korean peninsula using a new multiple rocket launcher, South Korea's defence ministry said. It
was the third time in less than a week that the North had conducted missile launches.
North Korea said that the recent rocket launches were part of drills conducted in the isolated state.
Launches by the North of short-range missiles are not uncommon as part of regular military
exercises.
The firing came days after the beginning of annual U.S. and South Korean joint military exercises,
which the North routinely denounces as preparation for war.