S. Korean military on standby ahead of Yoon's impeachment ruling

Kim Sun-ho, acting defense minister, visits the Ground Operations Command and the Ground Component Command on March 13 to encourage South Korean and U.S. troops participating in the 2025 Freedom Shield (FS) joint exercise. Courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense

SEOUL, April 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s military elevated its surveillance readiness against North Korea Friday, ahead of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the military expanded and reinforced the operation of surveillance equipment such as reconnaissance aircraft, radar, and thermal observation devices (TOD) in the hours leading up to the 11 a.m. ruling. Key military commanders were placed on standby and maintained at their designated posts.

In response to a question about readiness during a briefing on Apr. 3, Joint Chiefs spokesperson Lee Sung-jun stated, “We plan to upgrade our surveillance status.”

Following the court’s ruling, Kim Sun-ho, who is serving as acting defense minister, is scheduled to preside over a meeting of top military commanders to review and assess the country’s military preparedness.