N. Korea: North practices to seize 5 border islands: Report

JoongAng Daily ^ | 12/31/10

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North practices to seize 5 border islands: Report

Radio Free Asia, citing anonymous source in China, says drills ongoing

December 31, 2010

North Korea has been training its special forces for a surprise attack on South Korea’s western border islands, going so far as to simulate a takeover of them, according to Radio Free Asia yesterday.

“From mid-December, divisions within North Korea’s navy, like the sharpshooting brigade and reconnaissance bureau, have been involved in landing drills in the waters off the coast of Nampo,” RFA said, citing a source in China well-informed about North Korea. Nampo is a North Korean city and seaport located in South Pyongan Province.

The order for the exercise was given by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and his son Jong-un, who demanded the border islands be taken over in the event of a sudden conflict, the anonymous source said.

The source said that the information had come from a North Korean military official in Pyongyang, saying that the exercises were being conducted to “break the will of the South Koreans who have been promising strong retaliation ever since the Yeonpyeong Island shelling.”

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