Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- South Korea conducted its largest-ever nationwide civil defense drill Wednesday afternoon to prepare the public for a potential military attack from North Korea after Pyongyang shelled a South Korean island less than a month ago.
"After the bombing, we believed it was important for the public to know where to take shelter since the South is within five-minute-distance from a North Korean air raid," Kim Kwang-hee, the director of civil defense said.
The drill involved 12 fighter jets which flew over the airs of Seoul and the country to mock an enemy air drill. More than 250,000 public workers helped civilians take shelter in underground facilities and subway stations, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Traffic was stopped all across the country, and students were escorted out of school buildings into underground locations. Office workers were asked to move into basement parking lots for cover.
Civil defense drills take place on a regular basis and in the past have been ignored by many. CNN
