S. Korea, US show inconsistent policy cooperation in defense cost talks: CRS report

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States have demonstrated inconsistent policy cooperation in their failure to reach a new defense cost-sharing agreement, a US congressional report has said. According to the Congressional Research Service, the two countries have generally resolved differences on trade and North Korea policy, but tensions remain in other areas. "Policy cooperation between the United States and South Korea has been inconsistent under the administrations of Donald T

April 28, 2020

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, UAE vow cooperation over virus crisis

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates held phone talks Monday and pledged their joint response against the coronavirus pandemic, Seoul's defense ministry said. The conversation between Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his UAE counterpart, Mohammad Ahmed Al Bowardi, took place at the request of the UAE defense chief, according to the ministry. The UAE defense chief praised South Korea's response against the coronavirus as prompt and transparent and said Seoul has b

April 27, 2020

S. Korea approves plan to develop new combat system for 'mini-Aegis' destroyers

South Korea on Monday approved a 670 billion-won ($546 million) plan to develop a combat system to be equipped on the country's next-generation destroyers, the arms procurement agency said. The Defense Project Promotion Committee decided during a videoconference session held earlier in the day to sign a contract for the Korea Destroyer Next Generation project in the fourth quarter of this year with a plan to complete the system development by 2030, according to the Defense Acquisition Program

April 27, 2020

Former researchers probed for leaking military secrets

A group of former researchers at South Korea's state-run arms development agency are under investigation for allegedly leaking military secrets to private firms and institutions, military authorities said Monday. “We think about 60 workers left the agency with trade secrets. The National Intelligence Service, along with other authorities, are looking into the event,” a military official said, adding that authorities were focusing on some 20 agents suspected of glaring malf

April 27, 2020

S. Korean lawmakers push for law to aid USFK workers

Lawmakers from rival political parties are pushing to enact a special law to support South Korean employees of United States Forces Korea, who were recently put on unpaid leave because Seoul and Washington failed to conclude a defense cost-sharing pact. Submitted to the parliament Friday, the two separate but similar bills aim to establish a legal framework for the Korean government to intervene and pay the Korean workers. USFK put half of its 9,000 Korean employees on unpaid leave April 1, ci

April 27, 2020

S. Korea pushing to pay wages in advance for USFK workers on forced furloughs

South Korea has notified the United States of its plan to pay wages in advance for its citizens who work for the US Forces Korea but have been furloughed amid a deadlock in their defense cost-sharing negotiations, a government source said Sunday. Around 4,000 employees were furloughed indefinitely starting on April 1, as Seoul and Washington have failed to bridge differences over a new Special Measures Agreement (SMA) that stipulates how much Seoul would pay for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong

April 27, 2020

Ex-researchers at state defense agency under probe for alleged military secrets leak

Around 20 former researchers at the state defense agency are being probed over a suspected leak of classified information regarding the development of advanced weapons, officials said Sunday. The former workers at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) allegedly stole military secrets when they left the institution, the officials said, adding that most of them moved to colleges or major private defense firms. The materials consisted of classified information regarding the military's technol

April 27, 2020

US Forces Korea extends health emergency amid virus spread

United States Forces Korea said Friday it had decided to extend its public health emergency declaration to curb coronavirus infections at the US Army Garrison here. Amid growing concerns over the virus spread, the emergency was initially declared March 25 but expired Thursday. Effective until May 23, the renewed declaration did not mean an increased risk level but was a reminder that the commander would exercise authority to enforce the military staff’s compliance with required precaution

April 24, 2020

Changwon-Gyeongsam region named host for S. Korea's first arms industry cluster

The southeastern city of Changwon and the surrounding South Gyeongsang Province have been named the host for the government's first regional defense industry innovation center aimed at promoting development of home-grown parts and revitalizing regional economies, the arms procurement agency said Thursday. The government plans to spend 45 billion won ($36.39 million) over the next five years to create the "Defense Industry Innovation Cluster" in the Changwon-Gyeongnam region to help d

April 23, 2020

USFK soldiers demoted for visiting off-post bar, returning through fence hole

Three American soldiers based in South Korea's southeastern city of Daegu have been demoted and ordered to pay forfeiture for exiting their post in violation of coronavirus quarantine rules and coming back through a hole in the fence, the 8th Army said Wednesday. A private first class of the 94th Military Police Battalion is accused of exiting Camp Walker in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for an unauthorized purpose and entering the post through a hole he created in the install

April 22, 2020

Seoul has to pay more for US troops: experts

South Korea will have to pay more than it recently offered in a defense cost-sharing pact with the US, experts said Wednesday, as US President Donald Trump continues to insist on a drastic hike in contributions from Seoul. Trump said Monday that he had rejected an offer from Korea, which reportedly promised 13 percent more than the $900 million it paid last year. Washington had initially asked for $5 billion. “Trump is telling negotiating teams -- both Washington and Seoul -- that he wa

April 22, 2020

Military to ease restrictions on off-installation visits over coronavirus

The military will ease restrictions on enlisted service members' off-installation travel, the defense ministry said Wednesday, amid signs of a slowdown in the spread of the new coronavirus in the country. The military has restricted all enlisted service personnel from vacationing, staying outside their bases and meeting visitors since mid-February after the Navy reported the first COVID-19 infection in barracks. Under the eased policy, enlisted service members at designated areas will be allo

April 22, 2020

S. Korea, US to hold biannual defense talks via video links this week

South Korea and the United States will hold a biannual defense meeting via video links this week to discuss pending alliance issues, such as efforts to denuclearize North Korea and cope with the coronavirus pandemic, the defense ministry said Tuesday. During the 17th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue on Wednesday, the two sides will share evaluations on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, according to the ministry. The meeting will take place in a videoconference due to the coro

April 21, 2020

Military hospital resumes operations after workers test negative for virus

A military hospital in the central city of Daejeon reopened Tuesday after medical workers who were suspected of the coronavirus infection all tested negative for the disease, the defense ministry said. The hospital, under the wing of the Armed Forces Medical Command, had been shut down after some medical workers were suspected of COVID-19 infection Sunday. After showing mixed results, 10 workers who were examined all tested negative for the virus in the third round of examination, according t

April 21, 2020

USFK calls for disciplined, vigilant posture against coronavirus

US Forces Korea (USFK) called Tuesday for service members to guard against complacency and to follow aggressive preventive measures against the coronavirus so as to stop its spread and maintain a full readiness posture. "All USFK-affiliated individuals must remain disciplined and vigilant in their efforts to fighting complacency," USFK said in a release. So far, USFK has reported a total of 25 infections, with the latest case confirmed last week, and two of the patients are active-d

April 21, 2020

US flies series of surveillance aircraft over Korean Peninsula

Two US spy planes have flown over South Korea, an aviation tracker said Tuesday, on an apparent mission to monitor North Korea. The US Air Force's E-8C and Navy's P-3C were spotted in skies above South Korea, Aircraft Spots tweeted without specifying the exact time of their operation. The United States has deployed a series of reconnaissance aircraft here in recent months following the North's stepped-up military moves amid little progress in denuclearization negotiations with Washington. Th

April 21, 2020

Trump says he rejected S. Korean offer on defense cost-sharing

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Monday he rejected South Korea's offer on defense cost-sharing because the country is wealthy and should pay "for a big percentage of what we're doing" there. "They've offered us a certain amount of money and I've rejected it," Trump said at a White House coronavirus press briefing, referring to the stalled negotiations on how to share the cost for the upkeep of about 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea. "

April 21, 2020

10 workers at military hospital test negative for virus

Ten medical staff members at a military hospital in the central city of Daejeon have all tested negative for the coronavirus, officials said Monday. The hospital has been temporarily shut down.    This is not the final results, however, as each of three rounds of testing on their samples showed mixed results and officials suspect that the samples could have been compromised.    Fresh samples have been sent to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) for

April 20, 2020

Defense minister warns of stern action against lax discipline

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo has warned of stern punishment for misconduct and other lapses in discipline, his office said Monday, in the wake of a series of embarrassing incidents at the barracks, such as noncommissioned officers molesting a same-sex superior officer. In a letter to all service members, the minister said there were a number of incidents that loosened the military's discipline, referring to cases of violation of human rights, insults of superiors and involvement in a digi

April 20, 2020

US amb. tweets on delivery of Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to S. Korea

US Ambassador Harry Harris said in a tweet Sunday that the Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned aircraft was delivered to South Korea this week, adding that it's a "great day" for the two countries' alliance. Harris unveiled a picture of a Global Hawk unit parked in a hangar in an unidentified location, with the national flags of the allies hanging on a wall behind. On the body of the aircraft was text reading "the Air Force of the Republic of Korea," in Korean. "Cong

April 19, 2020