SEOUL -- The military units of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday conducted a live-shell firing drill off its western coast, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Military units in charge of the southwest coastal defense mobilized 23 coastal artilleries and fired 88 live shots toward four areas in the southwest waters, said KCNA in a statement by the General Staff of the Korean People's Army.

The district for the naval live-shell firing drill was not related to the Military Demarcation Line in terms of (firing) direction and posed no intentional threat to South Korea, the statement said.

It added that the drill was conducted according to a plan within the Korean People's Army's regular training system.