N.K. preparing large air, land exercise

North Korea is preparing to conduct a large-scale air, land combined forces exercise along its Yellow Sea coast, as it lets loose a steady barrage of verbal attacks against South Korea and the United States for conducting joint military drills.

A government source said intelligence picked up signs that the communist country may conduct an exercise around Nampho that makes use of aircraft and field artillery units. Nampho is the most populous port city in South Pyongan Province and lies southwest of the North Korean capital.

“There is no way to tell when the drill will actually kick off, but there is a chance the North may opt to launch short range missiles as part of its show of force,” the official, who declined to be identified, said.

Pyongyang has claimed that the ongoing Foal Eagle exercise carried out by South Korean and U.S. forces is a dress rehearsal for the invasion of the North and warned it will do its best to deter such aggression, which might include the use of nuclear weapons.

The possible launch of short-range rockets comes as Pyongyang has not gone ahead with the firing of its intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) that had been sent to the east coast.

Seoul and Washington said it detected the deployments of two Musudan IRBMs and had issued warnings that launching the missiles will further raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Tensions have already reached the highest level in decades with the North testing its third nuclear device on Feb. 12.

Besides the Musudan that may have the range to reach Guam, the North deployed its Rodong and Scud missiles to the east coast. The Rodong has the range to hit parts of Japan, while Scuds, with a shorter range, pose a threat to South Korea.

Other military sources in Seoul said that while signs of movement of military forces have picked up, there is no clear evidence that the exercise is imminent.

“A large part of the North’s military is currently being used to help spring farming, although the South remains on guard against potential blitzkrieg like attacks,” an officer said.

He said with the complete withdrawal of South Korean personnel from the Kaesong Industrial Complex that should be completed this week, the North may move to heighten military tensions. (Yonhap News)