South Korea to hold firing drills despite North Korea threat

South Korea says it will go ahead with artillery drills on a border island shelled by North Korea last month, despite Pyongyang's threat to retaliate.

An official with the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Satrday the South's military is ready to respond to any possible provocation.

He also said the drills were not expected over the weekend because of bad weather but would be conducted by Tuesday. The official spoke anonymously, citing policy.

The one-day, live-fire drills are to be held on Yeonpyeong Island near the tense sea border with North Korea.

North Korea has warned that if the South goes ahead anyway, it will strike back even harder than in the Nov. 23 attack that killed four people.