North Korea has moved a missile with “considerable range” to its east coast, South Korea’s defence minister says. But he added that there are no signs that Pyongyang is preparing for a full-scale conflict.

South Korea’s defence chief has had to apologise after troops failed to spot a North Korean soldier defecting across their heavily guarded border.

SOUTH KOREA will stage naval firing drills at 23 venues from today, but will exclude areas near the disputed sea border with North Korea, the military said.

South Korean troops pushed ahead with naval firing drills today, a day after North Korea warned such exercises would aggravate already high tensions between the rivals following the North’s deadly shelling last month of a frontline South Korean island.

North Korea lambasted South Korea’s new defence chief for threatening to launch air strikes against the North and accused the South of causing “uncontrollable, extreme” tension on the peninsula.

PRESIDENT Lee Myung-bak’s choice for new defence minister said yesterday that South Korean jets will bomb North Korea if it stages an attack similar to last week’s barrage.

President Lee Myung-bak's choice for new defence minister said today that South Korean jets will bomb North Korea if Pyongyang stages an attack similar to last week's deadly artillery barrage.

NORTH KOREA staged an artillery drill yesterday within earshot of a South Korean island shelled earlier this week, and warned that an upcoming US-South Korean naval exercise heightens the risk of war.