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U.S.-South Korea Training Exercise Irks North

Marines hold landing drill amid heightened tensions.
U.S. Marines participate in a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang, South Korea, on March 31, 2014. The drill is part of the two countries' annual military training called Foal Eagle.
U.S. Marines participate in a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang, South Korea, on March 31, 2014. The drill is part of the two countries' annual military training called Foal Eagle.KIM HONG-JI / Reuters

U.S. and South Korean forces conducted a joint landing operation drill on the eastern coast of South Korea Monday. The drill is part of the two countries' annual military training exercise, code-named Foal Eagle.

North Korea, which sees such exercises as threatening, fired more than 500 shells Monday after Kim Jong Un's regime announced it would be conducting military drills of its own. Around 100 of these landed in water near the disputed sea border off the peninsula's western coast, which prompted the South to return fire.

Image: Amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps throw smoke bombs as they move to land on shore during a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang
Amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps throw smoke bombs as they prepare to land on shore during a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang on March 31, 2014.KIM HONG-JI / Reuters
Image: U.S. and South Korean Marines Hold Joint Landing Operation
U.S. Marines from 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Battalion landing team deployed from Okinawa, Japan, participate in the joint landing operation at Pohang seashore.Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images
Image: SKOREA-US-NKOREA-MILITARY-DRILL
South Korean Marine amphibious assault vehicles land on the seashore in Pohang.JUNG YEON-JE / AFP - Getty Images