South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Friday it is keeping close tabs on North Korea's military movements, amid speculation that Pyongyang would engage in yet another provocation to mark a set of anniversary events slated for next week.

Seoul officials and North Korea experts have warned of the possibility that the communist regime could conduct another nuclear test or test-fire a long-range ballistic missile to mark the 10th anniversary of its first nuke test on Sunday and the 71th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers' Party on Monday.

"(We) are closely watching North Korea's (military) movements," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters, declining to be identified.

A source said that the South Korean government has been keeping its quasi-state emergency posture, which President Park Geun-hye called for after the North's fifth and most powerful nuclear blast on Sept. 9. (Yonhap)