South Korea today began two-day war games to practice defending the disputed Dokdo islands off its east coast.

Defence Ministry spokeswoman said, the Dokdo defence drill is a routine training conducted to prevent an invasion from external forces.

Seoul has controlled the islets in the Sea of Japan since the end of Japanese colonial rule on the Korean peninsula. Tokyo also claims the islands, known as Takeshima in Japan, accusing Seoul of occupying them illegally.

The drills come just days after US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of long-running joint exercises with South Korea.