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| Lee Myeong bak (C), president of South Korea, inspects the civil defense drill against possible attacks at the Integrated Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea on March. 15, 2011. (Xinhua/Park Jin Hee) |
SEOUL, March 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korea staged a nationwide civil defense drill on Tuesday, aimed at reinforcing readiness against possible air raids from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Ordinary South Koreans were instructed into underground shelters, such as nearby subway stations, at the sound of air raid sirens.
The 15-minute drill was jointly conducted by the country's military, police, and fire department against possible air raids by the DPRK, the National Emergency Management Agency said. "The drill is expected to resolve anxiety among South Koreans, triggered by the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island last year and the DPRK's continuous threats to turn Seoul into a sea of flames, and to build up confidence of the people," it said in a statement.
After Japan was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami, an earthquake evacuation exercise was included as part of the drill.
Residents living along the east coast of the country practiced evacuations to higher ground when warning sirens blared.
