By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) – North Korea appears to be getting ready to destroy a half-size model of Seoul’s presidential office, or Blue House, according to South Korea’s military Wednesday.
Dozens of artillery pieces have reportedly been lined up at the site of the Blue House mock-up near the North’s capital of Pyongyang.
A South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff official cited by local news agency Yonhap said the replica was erected earlier this month.
“The North is likely to conduct an actual exercise in the near future,” the official was quoted as saying, pointing to satellite imagery as evidence.
Such activity would match Pyongyang’s own threats against Seoul, having recently depicted an attack on the Blue House using a computer animation.
North Korea also announced Wednesday that it will hold its first ruling party congress in nearly four decades on May 6.
The South Korean government has repeatedly said it is anticipating a major provocation by the North in line with the congress, which onlookers believe will be used as a platform to consolidate dictator Kim Jong-un’s position.
Pyongyang has shown no sign of slowing its nuclear and missile development over the last few weeks despite being hit with strengthened United Nations sanctions last month.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye spoke Tuesday of her concerns that North Korea may carry out its second nuclear test of the year at any moment.
