Korea, U.S. step up surveillance level over N. Korea: official

The armed forces of South Korea and the United States boosted their surveillance over North Korea to the second highest level for the first time since the communist state conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, an official said, according to Yonhap News.







The elevation of the five-stage "Watchcon" comes as tension runs high on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea conducted its second atomic test Monday and later scrapped the 1950-53 Korean War truce.







South Korean defense spokesman Won Tae-jae said in a briefing that South Korea and the U.S. will deploy more intelligence assets and step up their reconnaissance operations over North Korea.







But Won said the five-stage combat alert level, "Defcon," remains at four. The elevation of the surveillance marks the fifth time South Korea and the U.S. have upgraded Watchon to the second highest level, he said.







The United States has 28,500 forces stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea.