S. Korean, Japanese defense chiefs to hold talks ahead of GSOMIA expiry

The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan will meet bilaterally in Thailand next week just days before the planned expiry of their intelligence-sharing pact, Seoul officials said Saturday.Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo is scheduled to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, on Sunday, in the Thai capital of Bangkok on the sidelines of the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), the officials well-versed in the issue said.

Nov. 16, 2019

Esper says US will seek Japan's efforts to resolve GSOMIA issue: Cheong Wa Dae

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday he will try to persuade Japan to "smoothly" resolve the dispute over the two neighbors' military information-sharing arrangement, according to the presidential office.During a 50-minute meeting with Esper at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon explained his government's basic position that it's "difficult to share military information" with Japan, which has imposed export restrictions against South Korea for a

Nov. 15, 2019

Wealthy South Korea should pay more for keeping US troops: Esper

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday that South Korea should pay more for the defense the US provides as it is a wealthy country, amid ongoing talks on a bilateral military cost-sharing deal. Esper traveled to Seoul to hold an annual Security Consultative Meeting with South Korea’s Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. “South Korea is a wealthy country and could and should pay more to help offset the cost of defense,” Esper said in a press conference following the meeting.

Nov. 15, 2019

S. Korea, US hold annual defense ministers' talks

South Korea and the United States held annual defense ministers' talks in Seoul on Friday as the allies face tricky issues such as a soon-to-expire intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo and defense cost-sharing negotiations. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper held the 51st Security Consultative Meeting for "in-depth discussions on various pending security issues," the defense ministry said.Details of their discussions were not immediate

Nov. 15, 2019

South Korea, US top military commanders discuss GSOMIA, OPCON transfer

The top military commanders of South Korea and the United States discussed the allies’ military readiness and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula at the 44th Military Committee Meeting in Seoul on Thursday.South Korea’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Park Han-ki and his US counterpart Gen. Mark Milley were joined by some 20 officials from South Korea and 17 officials from the US, including US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Philip Davidson and US-ROK Combin

Nov. 14, 2019

Seoul says militaries support diplomatic efforts as Esper hints at altering joint military drills

The Defense Ministry said Thursday the military authorities of Seoul and Washington support the diplomatic efforts for the denuclearization of North Korea, while the US defense chief hinted at the possibility of adjusting the scope of joint military drills.On the plane to Seoul to attend Friday’s Security Consultative Meeting, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Wednesday he is open to adjusting the combined military exercises with South Korea if it can provide room for diplomacy with

Nov. 14, 2019

Esper: US could alter military drills to boost N. Korea talks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday that he is open to the possibility of altering American military activities in South Korea if it would help advance a diplomatic deal with North Korea to eliminate its nuclear program.In an interview with reporters flying with him to Seoul, Esper said any changes in military exercises or training would be done in ways that did not jeopardize troops' combat preparedness. And he said they would be done in consultation with the South Ko

Nov. 14, 2019

GSOMIA to be discussed at top Korea-US commanders’ meeting

The top military commanders of South Korea and the US will meet in Seoul on Thursday to discuss the allies’ military readiness and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula at the 44th Military Committee MeetingThe agenda for the meeting is likely to include issues surrounding Seoul’s General Security of Military Information Agreement with Tokyo, and the ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley arrived in Seoul on

Nov. 13, 2019

Terminating GSOMIA may send ‘wrong’ message to adversaries: Abrams

PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province -- By terminating its bilateral intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan, South Korea risks sending the wrong message -- that the trilateral alliance of South Korea, the US and Japan is weak -- Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the US-ROK Combined Forces Command, said Tuesday.Marking his first year in office, Abrams, who also commands United States Forces Korea and the United Nations Command, spoke on a series of current issues, including the ongoing defense cost-sh

Nov. 13, 2019

S. Korea launches new naval frigate on 74th anniversary of Navy foundation

South Korea launched a new frigate on Monday featuring advanced sonar and power systems to boost anti-submarine capabilities in coastal operations, the Navy said.The launch ceremony for the 2,800-ton FGG-II Seoul took place at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s shipyard in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, according to the Navy. It is the third frigate to be built under the project to secure a second batch of such vessels to replace the Navy's aging frigates and patrol combat corvettes. The

Nov. 11, 2019

Former US commanders of combined command to discuss future of alliance

Former commanders and deputy commanders of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command will gather to discuss the future of the alliance this week, forum organizers said Monday.The Korea-US Alliance Foundation said it will host the first Former Combined Forces Command CDR-DCDR Forum at Millennium Hilton Seoul on Wednesday. The theme will be the Republic of Korea-US alliance.Four former US commanders -- John Tilelli, Walter Sharp, James Thurman and Curtis Scaparrotti -- and four former deputy commanders -

Nov. 11, 2019

S. Korea not considering delaying GSOMIA termination: defense ministry

South Korea is not considering postponing the termination of the soon-to-expire military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, the defense ministry said Monday.The General Security of Military Information Agreement between South Korea and Japan is to expire on Nov. 23, following Seoul's decision in August to end it after Japan announced export curbs on Seoul, citing security concerns.As the deadline draws near, some media have speculated that South Korea is considering an option to put off its t

Nov. 11, 2019

FM sees point in claims GSOMIA termination could benefit NK, China

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Friday she sees a point in claims that the possible termination of a military intelligence-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan could benefit North Korea and China.Kang made the remarks as the General Security of Military Information Agreement is set to expire on Nov. 23 unless Seoul retracts its decision to end the agreement seen as a symbolic framework to foster the US' trilateral security cooperation with its two Asian allies. "I think we can ma

Nov. 8, 2019

South Korea, US to hold annual defense talks in Seoul next week

South Korea and the United States will hold their annual defense ministers’ talks in Seoul next week to reaffirm their alliance and discuss issues including the transfer of wartime operational control, the Ministry of National Defense said Friday. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his US counterpart Mark Esper will attend the 51st Security Consultative Meeting on Nov. 15, where they are expected to touch on pending issues, such as Seoul’s intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo. Esp

Nov. 8, 2019

S. Korea announces first female two-star general

A female South Korean Army brigadier general was promoted on Friday to become the country's first female two-star general, the defense ministry said.Kang Sun-young, 53, became a major general in a regular reshuffle of top uniformed officers and was appointed by President Moon Jee-in to lead the Army's Aviation Operations Command, the ministry said. It will also be the first time that a female commander will take the helm of the aviation command, according to the ministry. "Maj. Gen. Ka

Nov. 8, 2019

US Defense Secretary Esper to visit S. Korea next week

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will travel to South Korea next week for annual defense ministers' talks ahead of the expiry of a key military intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo, the Pentagon said Thursday. Esper will depart Wednesday to travel to Seoul, Bangkok, Manila and Hanoi, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said during a press briefing. He did not provide the exact dates, but it appears likely the secretary will travel in that order.Esper's trip to Seoul comes ahead of th

Nov. 8, 2019

Defense cost-sharing negotiations face rough road ahead

The ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations between South Korea and the United States face a rough road ahead, with Washington reportedly asking Seoul to pay for expenses not included in the original agreement.The US has asked Korea to pay about $5 billion toward the cost of maintaining its troops stationed here for another year, about five times more than the current 1.04 trillion won ($861.4 million), local media reported Thursday. This amount reportedly would include items that are not stip

Nov. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Seoul pushes to require naturalized S. Koreans to serve in military

The defense ministry is considering making it mandatory for naturalized male citizens to serve in the military, as other South Korean men must do, in an effort to cope with a decrease in the number of draftees amid a shrinking population, a senior government official said Wednesday. The state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses is in the final stage of research on the issue, and based on the results, the ministry could begin procedures to revise the military service act as early as next yea

Nov. 6, 2019

S. Korea to reduce troop numbers to 500,000 by 2022

South Korea said Wednesday that it will reduce its number of troops to 500,000 by 2022 in the latest move to tackle looming demographic challenges as Asia's fourth-largest economy faces a rapidly aging population.Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki also said South Korea will reform the country's military in a way that utilizes technologies, such as weaponized drones, reconnaissance satellites and unmanned aircraft.The plan comes as the number of people required to serve in the military is projected to

Nov. 6, 2019

Army suspends operation of Surion choppers following unusual signs

The Army said Tuesday it has suspended the operation of Surion choppers, after one helicopter made an emergency landing due to signs of a malfunction during military operations.On Monday, the Surion chopper made "a preventive landing" at a military airbase in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, while taking part in military operations to ensure safety after unusual signs, including a slight vibration, were detected."Though there were no problems in the safety of crew members and the helicop

Nov. 5, 2019