North Korea will likely provoke South Korea by firing large-scale artillery and launching missile around Saturday, the anniversary of the foundation of the North’s People’s Army.
 
South Korea's Defense Ministry on Monday presented the assessment in its report to the parliamentary defense committee.
 
The ministry said the North is likely to conduct a massive joint military exercise given that it has concentrated its tanks and artillery forces at a training ground near Pyongyang.
 
The ministry said the North is also conducting artillery firing exercises near the border area to counter a possible launch of anti-North Korea leaflets by South Korean civic groups.
 
It added the North has raised its combat readiness by deploying a patrol ship and artillery near South Korea’s border islands in the Yellow Sea.
 
Since March 1, North Korea has declared a no-fly and no-sail zone in the East Sea.