The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) says there is a possibility that North Korea will engage in a surprise attack using a Hamas-style tactic.

The chief director of operations for the JCS, Kang Shin-chul, issued the warning on Tuesday during the parliamentary defense committee’s inspection of the defense ministry with regard to the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.

Kang said the North could occupy regions along the inter-Korean border by force or seek to engage in negotiations after taking hostages.

He said the surprise attacks by Hamas neutralized Israel’s defense system, citing the failure of Israel’s Iron Dome as it was overwhelmed in the face of thousands of rockets launched within just a few hours by the militant group.

The JCS said the South could face a similar problem in the event that the North launches attacks with artillery fire and missiles, stressing that the conflict between Israel and Hamas has shown that there is a need to refrain from an overreliance on scientific systems.

To respond to such a possibility, the JCS said it will boost monitoring of signs of provocation from the North and prepare to engage in special warfare on ground, at sea or in the air.