Kim Young-Sun, Spokesman of S. Korean Foreign Ministry, said, "The ongoing live-fire exercise on Yeonpyeong island is an exercise taking place within our territory and within our waters. Moreover, this exercise is a standard and legitimate defensive exercise. Therefore, our understanding is that the exercise taking place is a matter of our national sovereignty."

So far, the DPRK has not taken a military response to the drill.

People in South Korea are holding different opinions on the exercise.

Kim Ae-Sook, S. Korean Housewife, said, "Until now, we have been acting too passively. It might sound a little strange to say this as we are the same race, but honestly, I think North Korea is looking too down on us. We have to do this at least once in the future, so I am glad that we did it."

Yu Jeong-Hwa, S. Korean student said, "At this moment when the relationship between South Korea and North Korea has not been recovered, I think it is the wrong thing to resume the live-fire exercise on Yeonpyeong island. It's like each side is fighting for self-pride ."

Before the drill, residents, local officials and journalists on Yeonpyeong and four other islands were ordered to evacuate to underground shelters for possible attacks from the DPRK.

Meanwhile, South Korean Peace activists have held up signs and chanted peace slogans, calling on the military to cancel what the activists call a provocative exercise.

The drill,which follows the deadly exchange of fire between South Korea and the DPRK on Yeonpyeong island, was originally planned for Sunday, however heavy fog delayed the exercises.

The UN Security Council failed on Sunday to agree on a statement to address rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.