WASHINGTON D.C. – Kim Jong Un supervised a live artillery drill close to a disputed maritime border with South Korea, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported Thursday morning.

On the same day, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won flew to Yeonpyeong island, just a few miles south from where North Korean drills had taken place, to inspect evacuation facilities and a Marine Corps office.

KCNA said today that the purpose of the latest drill was to “examine the real war fighting capabilities of artillery sub-units in the hotspots whose mission is to strike Taeyonphyong and Paekryong Islands.”   South Korea refers to the same islands as Yeonpyeong (an island shelled in a November 2010 attack that killed four ROK citizens) and Baengnyeong.

Kim Jong Un’s participation in the drill was emphasized significantly in the drill report, with KCNA pointing out that “whenever artillerymen hit the targets, he was greatly satisfied to watch them.”  Observing the live-fire training, Kim Jong Un said, “As I always stressed, a modern war is an artillery war and preparations for an artillery battle mean the preparations of the KPA and they are an important factor of deciding a victory.”

Seoul-based news agency Yonhap interpreted the goals of the exercise to include the destruction of South Korean military headquarters, Marine Corps units, and other unspecified military installations on the southern side of a disputed maritime border.

North Korea did not detail when the latest drill took place, though it seems unlikely it was today due to likely military sensitivities reporting the Supreme Leader’s whereabouts so close to South Korean territory.

Meanwhile, as South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won flew into Yeonpyeong this morning to inspect evacuation facilities, South Korean daily the Chosun Ilbo published a report on current tensions on the island. Numerous fishing boats lay at anchor and activitiy was low at the normally busy fishing village area, while one local citizen said, “If North Korea opens fire, many would be at a loss to find shelters”.

The Chosun Ilbo added that the Mayor of Incheon (whose jurisdiction includes the island) said there were no signs of a North Korean provocation yet, and pleaded with locals to understand how complicated the situation currently is.

North Korea’s military preparations follow its promise to exact strong retaliation for ongoing U.S.-South Korean military exercises and recent UN sanctions following Pyongyang’s nuclear test last month. North Korea shelled a ROK military base on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in 2010 after Seoul refused to cease artillery exercises along the disputed maritime border. Two South Korean marines were killed in the attack, along with two civillians contracted to work on the small island marine base.

Kim Jong Un supervised a live artillery drill close to a disputed maritime border with South Korea, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported Thursday morning.