SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military will conduct defense drills near the disputed Dokdo islets, called Takeshima in Japan, mobilizing battleships and combat airplanes, local media outlets reported on Thursday citing the South Korean Navy.

The Navy told local reporters that the regular exercise to defend Dokdo would be staged for two days from Thursday, together with the Air Force and the Coast Guard.

Mobilized in the drills would be a 3,200-ton destroy and four to five other surface ships, a P-3C maritime surveillance airplane and four to five combat planes, including the F-15K fighter jet.

Japan has protested against the drills as it continues to lay territorial claims to the rocky outcroppings.