By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea is likely to make another provocative act to test the combat readiness of the South's new government, a high-ranking military official said Sunday.
"The North is expected to opt for a nuclear test, a missile launch or a localized attack to see if the new government has established military capabilities and deterrence against it," the official said.
However, since the North sank the naval ship Cheonan (in March 2010) and shelled Yeonpyeong Island (in November of 2010), the South's military readiness and corresponding strategies have changed, he told reporters.
"If they pursue any provocation, it will be a mistake, and it will not just end up with a verbal warning."
His remarks come as, following the North's Dec. 12 long-range missile launch and a third nuclear test last month, the reclusive Stalinist country is expected to carry out a large-scale nationwide military drill in early March in response to this month's joint Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises by South Korea and the United States.
Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok also said last Thursday that Pyongyang may launch a nationwide drill involving the land, sea and air arms of the Korean People's Army (KPA) as well as the North's large Special Forces units, based on the observation of exercises carried out so far.
In addition, its leader Kim Jong-un's recent series of visits to military units _ four times in less than a week _ are fueling speculation.
"The North is expected to execute exercises at the time of the joint military drills," he said.
Along with a possible large-scale drill, military authorities are keeping a close eye on the potential for another nuclear test. The North had prepared to test in two tunnels at the Punggye-ri site but only one was used for the Feb. 12 detonation.
"They can explode another nuclear device at any time and some activities have been detected around the other tunnel," he said.
"The test just depends on a political decision."
In the wake of the North's recent moves, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin toured the 2nd Marine Division Thursday, while Jung Seung-jo, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also visited the Navy's 2nd Fleet and the Army's missile command Saturday.
However, despite the moves hinting at further provocative behavior, North Korean media have said the South should resume talks with the North, which is seen as a move not to provoke the Park Geun-hye administration. President Park has continued to say she is always open for talks with the North.
The North's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper recently reported, according to the South's media, that the new Park government should actively step up efforts for inter-Korean dialogue. The Chosun Shinbo, a paper published by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, also said Wednesday that the prerequisite to improve relations between the two Koreas was to talk with and get in touch with each other.
North Korea is likely to make another provocative act to test the combat readiness of the South's new government, a high-ranking military official said Sunday.
"The North is expected to opt for a nuclear test, a missile launch or a localized attack to see if the new government has established military capabilities and deterrence against it," the official said.
However, since the North sank the naval ship Cheonan (in March 2010) and shelled Yeonpyeong Island (in November of 2010), the South's military readiness and corresponding strategies have changed, he told reporters.
"If they pursue any provocation, it will be a mistake, and it will not just end up with a verbal warning."
His remarks come as, following the North's Dec. 12 long-range missile launch and a third nuclear test last month, the reclusive Stalinist country is expected to carry out a large-scale nationwide military drill in early March in response to this month's joint Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises by South Korea and the United States.
Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok also said last Thursday that Pyongyang may launch a nationwide drill involving the land, sea and air arms of the Korean People's Army (KPA) as well as the North's large Special Forces units, based on the observation of exercises carried out so far.
In addition, its leader Kim Jong-un's recent series of visits to military units _ four times in less than a week _ are fueling speculation.
"The North is expected to execute exercises at the time of the joint military drills," he said.
Along with a possible large-scale drill, military authorities are keeping a close eye on the potential for another nuclear test. The North had prepared to test in two tunnels at the Punggye-ri site but only one was used for the Feb. 12 detonation.
"They can explode another nuclear device at any time and some activities have been detected around the other tunnel," he said.
"The test just depends on a political decision."
In the wake of the North's recent moves, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin toured the 2nd Marine Division Thursday, while Jung Seung-jo, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also visited the Navy's 2nd Fleet and the Army's missile command Saturday.
However, despite the moves hinting at further provocative behavior, North Korean media have said the South should resume talks with the North, which is seen as a move not to provoke the Park Geun-hye administration. President Park has continued to say she is always open for talks with the North.
The North's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper recently reported, according to the South's media, that the new Park government should actively step up efforts for inter-Korean dialogue. The Chosun Shinbo, a paper published by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, also said Wednesday that the prerequisite to improve relations between the two Koreas was to talk with and get in touch with each other.
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