By Kim Se-jeong

North Korean Special Forces are believed to have undertaken a joint exercise off the coast of the West Sea to simulate an attack on five South Korean islands close to the border.

If true, this would confirm a recent prediction that the North will try to seize the islands in the next couple of years. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) based in Washington, D.C., an anonymous Chinese expert on the North Korean military said, since mid-December, a naval unit specialized in sniping and another reconnaissance unit have been jointly conducting a landing exercise off Nampo, a port city on the west coast.

The sniper unit is believed to be the best-trained in the North’s military.

The anonymous source said he had been tipped off by a North Korean officer during a recent visit to Pyongyang.

“From what I heard, the exercise was to discourage South Korea, which has vowed to avenge North Korea’s recent attack on Yeonpyeong Island.”

He also said Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un commanded the exercise, and, if a crisis occurs, the forces will take the lead in attacking the South by landing on the five islands and taking civilian residents hostage.

A separate source told the RFA another military exercise will take place in in January.