Seoul - South Korea says in a major military review that rival North Korea has boosted its special forces and deployed huge artillery guns and a new kind of tank close to the heavily fortified border.
The report, released by the Defence Ministry once every two years, also says the North intends to rely on its nuclear programme as a counterweight to South Korea's hi-tech military.
The document says North Korea has 200 000 special operations forces, an increase from 180 000 in its last previous assessment in 2008. It says those forces are aimed at infiltrating and disrupting sensitive facilities.
The update on North Korea's military came amid lingering tension following a North Korean artillery attack that killed four people on a front-line island last month. - Sapa-AP