A South Korean soldier taking part in military exercises prepares for landing operations on a beach in Taean, 170km south-west of the capital, Seoul

The exercises are taking place amid high tension in South Korea following the deadly shelling of the South's Yeonpyeong island on Tuesday.

On Yeonpyeong, soldiers ran to find civilians and take them to shelter after new shellfire was heard on Sunday. The alert was lifted after 40 minutes.

In the wake of the shelling incident, there are only 20-30 residents remaining on Yeonpyeong

Most residents of the island have been evacuated, including to this spa in Incheon, west of Seoul.

A South Korean soldier injured in the shelling of Yeonpyeong island arrives home in Seoul

The latest US-South Korea military exercises drew protests outside the US naval base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul.

Amid the rising tension, National Emergency Management Agency officials check gas masks at an underground station in Seoul as they inspect emergency evacuation facilities