S Korean military to be on high alert during G-20 Summit
Seoul: The South Korean armed forces will
be on their highest level of military preparedness starting
later this month, in order to ensure Seoul's safe and
successful hosting of the Group of 20 (G-20) summits in
November, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
South Korea's military has three ascending levels of
preparedness. Since opening the G-20 operational headquarters
on September 1, the military has maintained Level 2 with
"reinforced preparedness." The G-20 summit is scheduled for
November 11-12 at Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in
southern Seoul.
Under Level 3, the military will guard key national
facilities, bolster the joint South Korea-US monitoring system
and raise its readiness level against armed infiltration and
provocations.
"With the summit around the corner, we will deploy forces
at major facilities and areas surrounding the summit's venue,"
the JCS said yesterday. "We will join forces with the coast
guard and inspect and block (suspect) vessels and also
strengthen our air patrol," he added.
The JCS also said it will share intelligence and
information on potential terrorist attacks with the US forces
stationed in South Korea and expand their joint monitoring
capabilities, including the use of U-2 reconnaissance
aircraft.
In a related move, General Han Min-koo, Chairman of the
JCS, recently paid visits to Capital Defense Command and Air
Force Operations Command to encourage the military's
cooperation during the G-20 meetings.