The South Korean military has raised its alert level in response to the impeachment ruling of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, intensifying surveillance of North Korea and restricting troop activities to within the base.
According to the Ministry of National Defense and military officials, key commanders were placed on standby status ahead of the 11 a.m. verdict, while reconnaissance operations were expanded to closely monitor potential North Korean movements.
Amid the political uncertainty surrounding the verdict, the military seeks to maintain a heightened defensive posture to prevent any misjudgment by North Korea.
As a precaution, military authorities ordered all non-essential activities to be confined to the base for the day, excluding ongoing operational duties. However, off-base movements may still be permitted under the discretion of senior commanders when deemed necessary.
A military spokesperson explained that unnecessary external contact could occur during off-base activities, so they issued a directive to restrict them for today. Regular leave and liberty for service members will proceed as usual without restrictions.
Regardless of the ruling’s outcome, Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho is scheduled to convene a meeting with top military leadership later this afternoon. The agenda will include discussions on operational readiness and enhanced security protocols.
This mirrors similar steps taken in March 2017, when the military convened a video conference of top commanders immediately following the Constitutional Court’s decision to impeach former President Park Geun-hye, reinforcing national defense preparedness.