S. Korea to produce prototype indigenous combat jet by 2021

South Korea will make a prototype of its envisioned indigenous fighter jet by 2021 following the successful completion of its design, the arms procurement agency said Thursday.Under the project, which began in January 2016 and is worth 8.8 trillion won ($7.3 billion), South Korea seeks to develop a home-grown cutting-edge fighter aircraft, the so-called KF-X, to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets. After wrapping up their three-day critical design review session on Thursday,

Sept. 26, 2019

Panel asks military to reinvestigate suspicious deaths of 12 soldiers

Two conscripted soldiers, who committed suicide separately while serving in the South Korean military 34 years ago, turned out to be victims of physical abuse in barracks, a presidential panel said Wednesday.The Presidential Commission on Suspicious Deaths in the Military included the wrongful deaths of the two soldiers, identified only as Private First Class Kim and Sergeant Kim, in a report issued on the occasion of its first founding anniversary.The commission said it has received a total of

Sept. 25, 2019

UN Command denies reports it wants to remain in control

The United Nations Command flatly denied news reports that it may be seeking exercise control over military activities on the Korean Peninsula after the transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea. The UNC told The Korea Herald in an email response that its role will remain the same even after the OPCON transfer, and that it has no plans to become an operational command.“Media reports that the US wants to use the UNC as a means to get around OPCON are unfounded. There is no plan

Sept. 25, 2019

No decision made yet on Seoul's participation in Japan's fleet

South Korea has not made a decision on whether to attend Japan's fleet review slated for next month as it has not received an invitation, the defense ministry here said Tuesday. According to a Yomiuri Shimbun report, Japan's self-defense force decided not to invite South Korea to its Oct. 14 fleet review to be held in Sagami Bay near Tokyo. Japan holds such a review every three to four years. The last one was held in 2015, and the South Korean Navy sent the Daejoyeong destroyer to

Sept. 24, 2019

Former USFK base near border to turn into history park

A former United States Forces Korea base near the border with North Korea will be turned into a history park symbolizing both division and peace on the Korean Peninsula, a local government said Tuesday.The government of Gyeonggi Province said it will begin the construction of a new history park on the former site of Camp Greaves in Paju, some 40 kilometers northwest of Seoul, in 2021 in a bid to reflect on the pain of national division and deliver the message of peace and co-existence. The envis

Sept. 24, 2019

[Feature] Conscientious objectors wait for alternative service as legislators remain idle

The military conscription system in South Korea has been in place for decades. Conscientious objectors’ fight against the system that criminalized them lasted nearly as long, and they chose to go to jail rather than serve in the military because their faith forbids bearing arms. Their decadeslong struggle came to an end in June 2018, when the country’s Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling that would lift the stamp of “guilt” from thousands of conscientious objector

Sept. 23, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] Foreign defense attaches visit military facilities

Foreign defense attaches based in South Korea are visiting military facilities as part of a three-day program designed to boost their understanding of the country’s security situation, the Defense Ministry said Monday.During the program organized by the Defense Intelligence Agency, 50 defense attaches and their spouses from 25 countries are scheduled to visit the Navy’s Third Fleet headquarters, the Air Force’s 20th Fighter Wing, and the Army’s armor school located in Sou

Sept. 23, 2019

S. Korea, US to launch defense cost-sharing talks this week

South Korea and the United States will kick off fresh negotiations this week on sharing the cost for the upkeep of American troops here, the foreign ministry said Monday.  The first round of the 11th Special Measures Agreement will take place in Seoul on Tuesday and Wednesday, the ministry said in a release. Chang Won-sam, who led the previous round of negotiations last year, will represent South Korea until his successor is picked, while James DeHart, a former charge d'affaires of the US E

Sept. 23, 2019

Defense minister meets US think tank representatives

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo met with a former US national security adviser and experts from his Washington-based think tank Monday and exchanged assessments on peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, Jeong's office said Monday.Jeong welcomed James Jones, chairman of the Atlantic Council and former national security adviser, as well as three officials from the council, to the defense ministry complex, as they are in Seoul to attend a local forum slated for later this month. During the meetin

Sept. 23, 2019

Seoul's defense chief vows beefed-up efforts against growing cyberthreats from N. Korea

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Friday that threats in cyberspace posed by North Korea and other entities have been growing and vowed efforts to bolster the country's cyber operations capabilities.Jeong made the remark during a conference on defense cybersecurity held in Seoul earlier in the day."Even at this moment, cybersecurity threats are increasing from all directions, as North Korea and other unidentified forces continue to launch attacks," Jeong said, calling them a trans

Sept. 20, 2019

[Newsmaker] S. Korea, US to launch negotiations on defense cost sharing next week : source

South Korea and the United States will launch negotiations in Seoul next week on sharing the cost of upkeep for American troops here, a source with knowledge of the matter said Friday.  Seoul and Washington will likely hold the first round of negotiations on the stationing of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea on Tuesday and Wednesday, the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity.  James DeHart of the State Department will lead the US delegation, the source said. Se

Sept. 20, 2019

S. Korea, US to hold defense talks next week

South Korea and the United States will hold biannual defense talks in Seoul next week, the defense ministry said Thursday, the first such meeting since speculation arose of a rift between the allies following Seoul's decision to end a military information-sharing deal with Japan.   Deputy Defense Minister Chung Suk-hwan will represent the South, and Heino Klinck, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, will lead the US delegation in the 16th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dia

Sept. 19, 2019

USFK says it is committed to returning bases to South Korea

United States Forces Korea said Wednesday that it is committed to the plan to return its bases to South Korea, following Seoul’s announcement seeking the prompt return of 26 US bases.In a statement, USFK said some of its military installations had already been cleared out for return.  “Fifteen of the 26 US military installations, including four sites specifically requested for transfer at the earliest possible date … have been vacated, closed and available for transfer to

Sept. 18, 2019

Defense chief denounces drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo on Wednesday denounced recent drone attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia as "a reckless act" that harms global security and stability."It is a serious threat to key energy infrastructure of the world, and a reckless act that undermines the global energy security and regional stability," Jeong said during a ceremony held in Seoul to mark Saudi National Day, expressing hope that the country will swiftly overcome the crisis. Pointing to dec

Sept. 18, 2019

US flew spy plane over S. Korean capital area

A US reconnaissance plane flew over areas around Seoul earlier this week, an aviation tracker has said, on an apparent mission to collect intelligence regarding North Korea.The plane, believed to be an RC-135W Rivet Joint, was detected in the skies above areas of Gyeonggi Province, including Namyangju, just north of Seoul, and the western port city of Incheon on Monday, Aircraft Spots posted on Twitter.The operation took place on a day when North Korea called on the US to remove all "threat

Sept. 17, 2019

US Forces Korea extends curfew suspension for 3 months

US Forces Korea said Tuesday it extended the suspension of a curfew for its troops for an additional 90 days, calling it a period to demonstrate their "good order and discipline at all times and under all conditions."The curfew, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., was imposed in 2011 amid public outcry over allegations of sexual violence and other crimes by USFK troops. The temporary suspension of the curfew began on June 17, and will be extended until Dec. 17, according to the USFK.  &quo

Sept. 17, 2019

S. Korea to publicly display F-35A fighter for first time next month

South Korea is planning to showcase F-35A stealth fighters to the public for the first time during the Armed Forces Day ceremony next month to officially mark their introduction into the country, officials said Tuesday.South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy a total of 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But the military has handled their arrivals in a low-key manner, sparking speculation the government is concerned about object

Sept. 17, 2019

S. Korea, UNC kicked off official discussions on UNC's future role

Nations Command launched senior-level talks last month to narrow differences over the command's role after Seoul takes back the wartime operational command of its forces from Washington, government sources said Tuesday.The allies have shown differences over the UNC's future authority and roles amid speculation that the US could be trying to expand and strengthen the UNC in an attempt to keep control of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command even after the OPCON transfer.After the transfer, a

Sept. 17, 2019

S. Korea will push for transfer of wartime operational control as planned: ministry

South Korea is committed to pushing for the retaking of the wartime operational control of its troops from the United States and the relocation of the combined forces command headquarters as planned, the defense ministry said Monday.The comment came after reports that former South Korean generals, who served as deputy CFC commanders, suggested to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae that the envisioned OPCON transfer and the relocation of the CFC headquarters out of Seoul be delayed until North

Sept. 16, 2019

Seoul gears up for new defense cost-sharing pact with Washington

South Korea and the United States are set to start negotiations on their cost-sharing deal for the upkeep of the 28,500 US troops stationed here, amid increasing pressure from the US president to increase contributions from allies. The two countries will launch negotiations for the Special Measures Agreement as early as late this month, as the current one-year deal is set to expire Dec. 31. US President Donald Trump has been upping the ante as he heads into his reelection campaign, pressing

Sept. 15, 2019