South Korea's top spy agency predicts that North Korea may launch an array of offensives this year including cyber attacks, destruction of facilities using drones and assassination of key figures and defectors in South Korea.

The National Intelligence Service on Friday published a brochure outlining terrorist trends of 2022 and prospects for 2023.

On Pyongyang's cyber attacks, the NIS said the regime is believed to have stolen around 800 billion won in crypto assets last year and is expected to focus on hacking crypto exchanges this year to ease its financial woes amid prolonged global sanctions.

The agency said the regime may also target well known North Korean defectors and anti-North activists through terror attacks while continuing to use drones to gather intelligence.

Furthermore, NIS warned the North is not the only threat, noting that some Muslims in South Korea continued to raise terrorist funds and followed extremist movements last year, adding that five arrests were made while others were evicted. 

The agency vowed to exert preventive efforts in line with the changing climate in terrorism.