North Korea is reinforcing artillery bases along the west coast in the lead-up to the first anniversary of the shelling of Yeonpyeong island on Nov. 23. The coastal artillery base that indiscriminately fired at Yeonpyeong Island on Nov. 23, 2010 is on the stretch of coast that is now being reinforced.

A South Korean government source on Thursday said intelligence forces have detected signs that the North is building new coastal artillery bases in Kaemori and on Jangsan cape across from the island. "It seems that they were either relocating the artillery base because last year's shelling revealed the location, or building more artillery bases," the source added.

North Korea is also erecting barracks and other buildings in the area as well. But the source said, "We have yet to grasp whether they have strengthened their military capacity by increasing the number of troops or reinforcing long-range artillery guns."

At the end of last month and early this month, North Korea tested anti-ship missiles by firing them from IL-28 bombers in the West Sea.

The South Korean government is downplaying the moves, saying they do not necessarily mean the North is planning further provocations. "It's more likely that North Korea is reacting to our military's reinforcement of military and artillery capacity in Baeknyeong and Yeonpyeong Islands recently," the source said.

I hope to heck that they keep their bombs on their side of the line.