Watch Condition is an alert system operated by the joint forces of South Korea and the U.S. to measure reconnaissance posture for strategic and tactical warning of attack.

The allies late Friday raised the Watchcon by one notch to level 2, which will allow them to strengthen stealth and reconnaissance countermeasures over North Korea with its RC-135 snooper aircraft, Aegis destroyers with radar surveillance systems and spy satellites. Watchcon 1 has not been issued since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.