Seoul's defence ministry said it is considering shipping more artillery and advanced radar to Yeonpyeong and another border island in response to the shelling, which began Wednesday near the tense frontier in the Yellow Sea. The North says it is conducting a routine artillery drill but Seoul and Washington have criticised the salvos as provocative. The ministry said the North Wednesday fired 300 shells - far more than earlier reported - and 50 on Thursday. The JCS has said it has information the artillery drills will end later Friday.
Analysts say the display of firepower is partly an attempt by the North to raise tensions and emphasise its stance that a formal peace pact on the heavily armed peninsula is essential. South and North Korea have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended only in an armistice. The North refuses to return to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks until the United States agrees to discuss a formal peace treaty. Seoul has reacted calmly to the barrage and has said it will go ahead with talks scheduled for Monday in North Korea about a joint business project.