North Korea has reportedly deployed missiles near the South Korean border as naval exercises get underway.

Naval war games are underway today off the west coast of South Korea.

The exercise includes the use of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

North Korea has warned that such games risk pushing the peninsula to the brink of war.

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, North Korea has deployed SA-2 surface-to-air missiles near the border.

The report suggested that the missiles appear to be in place to target the South's jets flying close to the frontier.

These Soviet-designed missiles have a range of between 8 and 30 kilometres.

Though the report is new, the missiles are said to have been in place for days.

The naval exercises were already planned prior to North Korea's artillery attack which killed four people and injured 18.

The USS George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of more than 6,000, will be accompanied by at least four other warships.

South Korean president Lee Myung-bak told ministers and aides to be ready for further "provocation" by the North during the drill.

"There is the possibility that North Korea may do some unexpected action, so please perfectly prepare against it through cooperation with the Korea-US joint force," Mr Lee was quoted by a spokesman as saying.

North Korea's KCNA news agency said on Saturday (local time):"If the US brings its carrier to the West Sea of Korea at last, no-one can predict the ensuing consequences."

Reporters who are still on the island which was originally hit by North Korea's artillery attack have been told to leave.

With tension high, China is holding talks with North and South Korea and seems to be looking for a diplomatic solution.

China has called for an emergency meeting of key six nations next month regarding the tension on the Korean peninsula.

The two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia are involved in the North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, which have been stalled since April last year.

But South Korea says it is not the time to resume the talks.

- ABC/Reuters