Two Koreas, UNC hold talks on disarming Panmunjom

Military officials from South and North Korea and the United Nations Command opened another round of working-level consultations Monday on disarming the truce village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone, the Ministry of National Defense said.The trilateral session at the Freedom House located on the southern side of Panmunjom is meant to focus on the operation of surveillance equipment at the Joint Security Area along the inter-Korean border.The three sides have turned Panmunjom into a fi

Nov. 12, 2018

Koreas begin destroying 20 front-line guard posts

The South and North Korean militaries began destroying 20 front-line guard posts on Sunday after withdrawing troops and firearms as they implemented a comprehensive agreement on reducing tensions on the tense border, Seoul's defense ministry said.Seoul and Pyongyang signed the military agreement on Sept. 19, including measures to prevent armed confrontation along the Military Demarcation Line and on the Northern Limit Line, a de facto sea border in the Yellow Sea. DMZ (Yonhap)As part of the agre

Nov. 11, 2018

US commander supports inter-Korean military deal on reducing tension

The commander of United States Forces Korea said Sunday he supports an inter-Korean military agreement on reducing tension.Gen. Robert B. Abrams, who took command as head of US troops here last week, made the remarks as he visited the truce village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)Seoul and Pyongyang signed the comprehensive military agreement on Sept. 19, including measures to prevent armed confrontation along the Military Demarcation Line and on

Nov. 11, 2018

Korea, US aim for deal next week on sharing USFK cost

South Korea said Friday it will hold another round of negotiations with the United States next week on sharing the cost of stationing American troops on the peninsula.The two sides are running out of time for an agreement. The existing accord is to expire at the end of this year.South Korean officials said they aim to strike a deal in the four-day talks to open in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Tuesday. (Yonhap)It would mark the 9th round of negotiations the Special Measures Agreement."South Korea and the

Nov. 9, 2018

Allies identify remains of US soldier killed in Korean War

South Korea's military said Thursday it has identified the remains of an American service member killed in the 1950-53 Korean War via joint work with the ally.The remains were excavated in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, in October last year by the Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification. (Yonhap)It conducted DNA and other analyses, together with representatives from the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), earlier this week.The remains were confirmed to be thos

Nov. 8, 2018

Top US Commander in S. Korea takes office amid uncertainty about decades-old alliance

The new chief of US Forces Korea on Thursday stressed the need for a robust military posture to support diplomatic engagement with North Korea, amid concerns over stalled nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington. 　Army Gen. Robert B. Abrams assumed command of US Forces in South Korea, replacing Gen. Vincent Brooks. Abrams also inherited Brooks’ control over the United Nations Command and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. 　During the change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humph

Nov. 8, 2018

Top US general’s remarks spark debate over fate of USFK

Remarks about the Korean Peninsula by a top US military officer have sparked debate over the future of the 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea. 　Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday that the US would have to start making “some changes to the military posture on the peninsula” over time if talks with North Korea make progress. 　While Dunford did not elaborate on what those changes might be during a recent forum at Duke University, the remarks have

Nov. 7, 2018

Military intelligence unit floated idea of leaving Sewol underwater

The scandal-ridden military intelligence command had floated the idea of leaving the Sewol ferry underwater to address worsening public sentiment over former President Park Geun-hye’s handling of the sinking, investigators said Tuesday. 　According to the military probe team investigating the Defense Security Command’s illicit surveillance targeting civilians, the now-defunct unit had suggested to Park that the government stop seeking to recover the ferry that sank off the country’s southwestern

Nov. 6, 2018

Koreas, UN Command to hold talks over JSA disarmament

The Koreas and the US-led UN Command will hold talks Tuesday over a set of issues related to the disarmament of the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone, Seoul's defense ministry said.The third round of the trilateral talks is set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Freedom House, a South Korea-controlled building in the border truce village of Panmunjom. (Yonhap)"At the meeting this time, (the three) will mutually confirm and evaluate the results of the work to verify (the disarmament of) the J

Nov. 6, 2018

Korea, US resume marine drills

South Korea and the United States resumed their combined marine drills Monday for the first time since they were suspended in June to support diplomacy with North Korea over its denuclearization.The allies began the two-week Korea Marine Exercise Program, which involves some 500 troops, including US marines from Okinawa, Japan, and military equipment, such as assault amphibious vehicles.  (Yonhap)The resumption of the drills is in line with the allies' decision to continue their battalion-level

Nov. 5, 2018

Army allows partial resumption of flights of Surion helicopters

The Army has allowed several Surion helicopters to resume maintenance and training flights after grounding all aircraft of the same model following the crash of a Marine Corps chopper in July, officials said Sunday.A total of 93 Surion helicopters were grounded following the July 17 crash of the MUH-1 Marineon, the Marine variant of the KUH-1 Surion helicopter. Five people were killed in the crash and an investigation has determined that a fracture of the helicopter's rotor mast was the main cau

Nov. 4, 2018

Korean, US to resume marine exercise

South Korea and the United States will this week resume battalion-level marine exercises that were delayed as part of efforts to help facilitate a detente with North Korea, Seoul military officials said Sunday. The two marine forces will begin joint training lasting two weeks around the southeastern port city of Pohang on Monday. It will involve 500 troops from the South Korean Marine Corps and the US III Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in Okinawa.(Yonhap)The Korea Marine Exercise Program e

Nov. 4, 2018

S. Korean Air Force chief to visit US to discuss cooperation

South Korea’s top Air Force commander will soon visit the United States to discuss the two countries’ alliance and ways to boost defense cooperation between them, Seoul officials said Saturday. Gen. Lee Wang-keun, the Air Force chief of staff, will start an eight-day visit to the United States on Sunday, having received a formal invitation from his US counterpart, Gen. David L. Goldfein, South Korean Air Force officials said.  Gen. Lee Wang-keun, South Korea's Air Force chief of staff (Yonhap)Du

Nov. 3, 2018

Seoul, Abu Dhabi agree to arrange visit by crown prince

South Korea and the United Arab Emirates agreed to strengthen ties and arrange a visit to Seoul by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi early next year, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. 　According to Seoul’s presidential office, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak met with Im Jong-seok, President Moon Jae-in’s chief of staff, in Seoul and discussed related issues. (Yonhap)At the meeting, Im and the UAE official agreed to cooperate to arrange Crown Prince Moham

Nov. 2, 2018

Air Force's first tanker to arrive in Korea Nov. 12: official

South Korea's Air Force will receive its first aerial refueling tanker this month to drastically increase the operational radius of its fighters, a military official said Friday.The official said the Air Force's first tanker plans to arrive in South Korea on Nov. 12 and receive various acceptance tests for about one month. (Airbus Defence and Space/Yonhap)Acceptance evaluations are a procedure to check whether the quality requirements specified for weapons and equipment delivered to the military

Nov. 2, 2018

Mattis supports inter-Korean military agreement

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary James Mattis on Wednesday threw his support behind a recent inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing tensions and preventing accidental clashes, amid reports that Washington opposes some parts of the landmark accord.Mattis and his South Korean counterpart, Jeong Kyeong-doo, held the annual Security Consultative Meeting at the Pentagon to discuss alliance issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control and the proposed suspension of a join

Nov. 1, 2018

Allies' decision to suspend air exercise triggers mixed reactions

WASHINGTON -- The latest decision by South Korea and the United States to suspend another combined exercise drew mixed reactions Wednesday, with supporters hailing it as a way to build trust with North Korea and critics highlighting its negative impact.During the 50th Security Consultative Meeting in Washington, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his US counterpart, James Mattis, finalized their decision to halt the Vigilant Ace air exercise to back ongoing diplomacy to induce Pyongyang's den

Nov. 1, 2018

Korea, US sign strategic guideline on combined defense after OPCON transfer

WASHINGTON -- Korea, US sign strategic guideline on combined defense after OPCON transferThe defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States on Wednesday signed a strategic guideline on how their combined defense mechanism will operate after the planned transfer of wartime operational control.The guideline, called "Alliance Guiding Principles," contains a set of commitments to continue to station US troops in Korea, retain the allies' Combined Forces Command and the UN Command, and have a So

Nov. 1, 2018

Korea's defense chief receives warm welcome at Pentagon ahead of SCM talks

WASHINGTON -- Upon arrival at the Pentagon in Washington, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo received a warm welcome from his US counterpart, James Mattis, ahead of their annual talks over a crucial security agenda.The US Department of Defense held a full honor guard ceremony involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard -- a rare event that US and South Korean officials said highlighted the level of importance Washington attaches to its longtime Asian ally.On the

Nov. 1, 2018

US knew about no-fly zone well before Pyongyang summit: source

The top US Commander in South Korea was notified of the plan to establish a no-fly zone over a cross-border region well before the two Koreas announced it during the inter-Korean summit in September. According to a source familiar with the bilateral consultations, US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks met with South Korean general Kim Do-gyun in August to discuss South Korea’s push for a comprehensive military agreement with North Korea.During a closed-door meeting held at USFK headquart

Oct. 31, 2018