SK on Full Alert After Reports of Possible NK Provocations

A government source said on Sunday that North Korea may carry out some kind of provocation in light of the high-profile defection of a high-ranking diplomat and the joint military defense preparations of South Korea and the United States.

According to the official who requested anonymity, "There is a considerable chance that the North, confronted with difficulties, may implement some sort of provocation to help rally its people and consolidate the regime's hold on power."

Yonhap News said that the official also said that there has been a steady spike in verbal attacks from the communist regime and that the wording has more hostile. The source said, "The defection of Thae Yong Ho, the No. 2 man at the North Korean Embassy in London may be causing tremors in the North as well as hurting the country's image abroad."

The source also added that the South Korean government is on guard against different potential aggressions such as the kidnapping of South Korean diplomats and citizens in foreign countries and assassination of well-known anti-North Korean civic group leaders.

The South Korean government is also on guard of probable cyber attacks.

Previously, there were reports of North Korea sending agents abroad in order to target South Korean nationals. This is believed to be a part of the North's reprisal for what it claims "kidnapping" of restaurant workers back in April, and the recent defection of Thae to Seoul last week.

Thae is said to come from a very prominent family in North Korea, and his defection might be an indication that North Korea's Kim Jong Un's hold on power is not as strong as what the world believes.

One more reason for the potential attack from the North is the joint Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) drill which starts on Monday and will run for two weeks.

The official also added, "The government urges all citizens to be on guard for possible provocations and to cooperate with the government if the need arises."