[Newsmaker] Active-duty soldier undergoes sex reassignment surgery, voices hope for continuing service

An Army non-commissioned officer underwent gender reassignment surgery last year and has expressed a desire to continue to serve in the military as a female solider, officers said Thursday.The serviceperson, whose identity was withheld, visited a foreign country while on furlough last year for the surgery. After an examination, a military medical team declared her "a handicapped person," which requires the authorities' evaluation to decide whether to discharge her or not. The officer r

Jan. 16, 2020

[Feature] Korea urged to pay conscripts better

All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve in the military for about two years. The duty, which is a reminder that the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, has rarely invited questions about whether soldiers are duly compensated for their service. That now shows signs of change. Both the public and the government are increasingly becoming aware of soldiers’ right to due monetary compensation, shifting away from considering military service as a statutory civi

Jan. 12, 2020

S. Korea, US Army chiefs to meet in Washington this week

South Korea's Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook will visit the United States this week for talks with his US counterpart to discuss ways to boost ties between their services, Suh's office said Sunday.During his seven-day official visit starting on Sunday, Suh is scheduled to meet with US Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville to reaffirm the allies' staunch alliance and find ways to boost exchanges and cooperation between the militaries, according to the Army.The general is also planni

Jan. 12, 2020

US unit seen stepping up preparations for rotational deployment to Korea

A US Army unit appears to be quickening preparations for its upcoming rotational deployment to South Korea, with its recent social media post saying its heavy equipment is "on its way to the port."The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas, is expected to arrive in Korea in the coming months for a nine-month rotational mission. It will replace the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division. "Rail head operations are just

Jan. 11, 2020

S. Korea, US to hold defense cost talks next week after Washington hints at compromise

South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of talks in Washington next week on sharing the cost for stationing American troops here amid expectations the two sides are closer to a deal.Jeong Eun-bo, South Korea's chief negotiator for the talks, is set to meet his US counterpart, James DeHart, for two-day talks starting on Tuesday (US time), the foreign ministry said Friday.The planned negotiations come as the two allies are under pressure to clinch a fresh deal on determining how mu

Jan. 10, 2020

[Newsmaker] Restricted military areas to be opened up

Restricted military areas in South Korea, concentrated in regions adjacent to Seoul, will be opened up to the public for business development, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said Thursday. The areas to be affected are mostly near Seoul in surrounding Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, and cover 77 square kilometers -- roughly 27 times the size of Seoul’s financial district of Yeouido. The areas would include regions as far away as the Chungcheong and Gyeongsang provinces, the party sa

Jan. 9, 2020

Ministry says no decision yet on whether to send S. Korean troops to Hormuz Strait

South Korea has made no decision yet on whether to send its troops to help safeguard the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday, amid rising tensions in the Middle East from the US killing of a top Iranian general last week.    Friday's fatal drone strike on Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, has raised expectations that Washington will step up calls for its allies to contribute to maritime security operations in the wa

Jan. 7, 2020

US again flies surveillance aircraft over S. Korea amid tensions

The United States flew a surveillance aircraft over South Korea's capital areas on Tuesday, an aviation tracker said, amid simmering tensions over possible provocations by North Korea.An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force was spotted in the skies above areas near the western port city of Incheon following similar operations by the aircraft the previous day, Aircraft Spots tweeted. Several other surveillance aircraft, such as the EP-3E and the RC-135S, have also been detected here often in r

Jan. 7, 2020

US flies surveillance aircraft to monitor N. Korea amid tensions

The United States flew surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula on Monday, an aviation tracker said, amid simmering tensions over possible provocative acts by North Korea after it warned of a "new strategic weapon."An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force carried out operations over South Korea at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots tweeted.It added the flight took place Monday.    This type of aircraft was last spotted over the peninsula on Wednesday, according to the

Jan. 6, 2020

S. Korea to abolish military guardhouse system

South Korea is expected to abolish the military guardhouse system this year as part of efforts to better protect the human rights of draftees, officials said Saturday.A revision of the Military Personnel Management Act calls for the abolishment of guardhouses and the establishment of additional educational programs instead to discipline soldiers, according to the defense ministry. The bill, now pending at the National Assembly, will come into effect six months after passage.Under the guardhouse

Jan. 4, 2020

Veterans can contest decoration review: court

Veterans or independence activists who fought against Japan during its occupation of the Korean Peninsula are eligible to file a legal complaint if they feel they were unlawfully denied decorations, the Seoul High Court said. According to judicial sources on Friday, the appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that refused to look into a claim, raised by a man on behalf of his deceased father, demanding the veterans affairs agency recommend a decoration for his father, who the son claims was

Jan. 3, 2020

Former combined forces No.2 joins ruling party

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea announced Thursday that retired Gen. Kim Byung-joo, a former deputy commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, had agreed to join the party and run in the general elections in April. “Gen. Kim is a security expert with a vision for a strong armed forces. He knows the ROK-US alliance and international strategy better than anyone as he forged strong alliance with Washington,” the party said at a press briefing at the National Assembly. Kim wa

Jan. 2, 2020

S. Korea, US to adjust combined drills for diplomacy with N. Korea: defense ministry

South Korea and the United States will continue to stage their combined exercises in an adjusted manner to support efforts for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday.  The allies have either canceled or scaled back joint drills since 2018 to back diplomacy with North Korea.  "We've maintained our stance that combined exercises with the US shall be adjusted in close coordination between the two sides in order to support diplom

Jan. 2, 2020

US flies surveillance aircraft after NK warns of 'new strategic weapon'

The United States again flew a surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Thursday, amid simmering tensions over possible provocative acts by North Korea after it warned of a "new strategic weapon."An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force carried out operations over South Korea at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots tweeted without specifying the exact time of the operation.This type of aircraft has been spotted conducting missions above the peninsula over the

Jan. 2, 2020

US spy planes monitor N. Korea on New Year's Day

US spy planes flew over and around the Korean Peninsula on New Year's Day on Wednesday, an aviation tracker said, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the communist nation will soon show off a "new strategic weapon."An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force took off from Japan's Kadena Air Base at 8:25 a.m. (Korean time) for an East Sea mission, while an EP-3E of the US Navy also flew over South Korea at 25,000 feet, according to Aircraft Spots. The flights came after the North's l

Jan. 1, 2020

[Photo News] Ensuring Defense Readiness in 2020

Gen. Park Han-ki, chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, was aboard the E-737 Peace Eye aircraft early Tuesday morning. Park communicated with key commanders from each branch of the armed forces and encouraged them to carry on their unwavering pursuit of “complete military readiness” during the 100-minute flight across the country. The top military officer thanked soldiers for their service amid heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula in the photos provided by 

Dec. 31, 2019

US flies surveillance plane amid NK tensions: aviation tracker

The United States flew a surveillance aircraft over South Korea on Tuesday, an aviation tracker said, apparently continuing its mission to monitor North Korea amid concerns about possible provocations.The US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted flying over the region at 31,000 feet, according to Aircraft Spots. The US flew the same type of spy plane on Monday and an E-8C, or JSTARS, the previous day.  The US military has been intensifying its surveillance on North Korea as Pyongyang ha

Dec. 31, 2019

Alternative military service for conscientious objectors to begin next year

South Korean men who refuse to fulfill their mandatory military service due to religious or personal beliefs will be allowed to serve three years of alternative duty at local correctional facilities starting next year, the defense ministry said Monday.By law, all able-bodied South Korean men must carry out military service for about two years in a country that faces North Korea across one of the world's most heavily fortified borders.Violators are punished with prison terms. On Friday, the Natio

Dec. 30, 2019

US flies surveillance plane over Korean peninsula: aviation tracker

The United States flew another surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula on Monday, an aviation tracker said, the latest in a series of flights to monitor North Korea amid concerns Pyongyang could launch long-range rockets.The US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted flying over South Korea at 31,000 feet, according to Aircraft Spots. Earlier, the tracker said an E-8C, or JSTARS, was spotted flying at 31,000 feet over the peninsula on Sunday. The US has been intensifying its surveillan

Dec. 30, 2019

All eyes on Pyongyang as Kim opens key party meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chaired the first part of a key ruling party meeting in Pyongyang on Saturday, amid speculation that the communist state may proclaim a “new path” in the face of stalled disarmament talks with the US Attended by key party and military officers, the fifth plenary session of the seventh Central Committee of the Workers’ Party discussed details regarding building of the state and its defense, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency sa

Dec. 29, 2019