The head of South Korea’s intelligence agency says that North Korea has adopted or is planning to adopt anti-riot gear, including riot buses and flak jackets, in preparation for any group protests from North Korean residents.

National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Won Sei-hoon on Wednesday briefed the parliament’s intelligence committee on this situation in the North.

According to Grand National Party member of the committee Lee Doo-ah, Won said that the North’s government is concerned about possible uprisings due to its dire economic situation as its fear stems from reports of unrest in the Middle East that ousted autocratic leaders.

Lee said the NIS also stated that the communist regime is stepping up its control over the North Korean public. Such efforts include the establishment of a special riot force unit and placing repatriated defectors and families of missing North Koreans in isolated facilities.

The NIS is also expecting North Korea to conduct cyberterrorism in earnest. The South’s intelligence agency is known to be devising a cyber security master plan in preparation for such an attack. North Korea has already been blamed for a banking system crash at the Nonghyup, also known as the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation.