South Korea marks Armed Forces Day with festivity, restraint

South Korea on Monday celebrated its 70th Armed Forces Day with pomp and festivity, in a stark contrast to last year's showcase of its ballistic missiles and other military hardware intended to counter evolving North Korean threats.The celebration came against the backdrop of the two Koreas' ongoing efforts to halt "all hostile acts" against each other, practically eliminate the danger of war and pave the way for a lasting peace regime on the divided peninsula.At the War Memorial of Korea in cen

Oct. 1, 2018

[Newsmaker] Moon stresses strong military, US alliance as key to lasting peace

In line with the 70th Armed Forces Day, President Moon Jae-in highlighted strong national defense and the alliance with the US on Monday, as the allies cooperate toward denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. “Now we have launched our ambitious journey toward lasting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. The path we are walking on is a path that no one has walked before, and so it is hard to predict what difficulties lie ahead. And therefore, strong defense is more important than ever,” the

Oct. 1, 2018

S. Korean Navy stands firm in opposition to Japan’s wartime flag at naval event

The Navy said Sunday it will continue to consult with Japan to prevent a Japanese warship from carrying a controversial imperialistic flag to an international naval review in South Korea next month, amid public outcry over what many South Koreans see as the symbol of wartime aggression.  Activists protest against Japan’s plan to carry a controversial imperialistic flag to an international naval event in South Korea next month, at a rally in central Seoul on Sept. 27. (Yonhap)Seoul’s Foreign Mini

Sept. 30, 2018

S. Korea, Japan clash over controversial military flag

Controversy continues to escalate over the Japanese Rising Sun flag, which symbolizes the country’s past imperialism, as Tokyo’s defense ministry pushes back against South Korean military’s request that Japanese warships not fly the flag at an upcoming international naval festival. 　According to an Asahi Shimbun report on Friday, an anonymous Japanese defense official said Japan might boycott the naval fleet review scheduled for Oct. 10-14 on Jeju Island, in light of South Korea’s “absurd” reque

Sept. 28, 2018

Ministry says 'no big differences' with UNC over inter-Korean military agreement

South Korea's defense ministry said Thursday that there are no big differences with the UN Command over the military part of the recent inter-Korean summit agreement aimed at reducing tensions and preventing accidental clashes.Speculation has continued that the UNC, the enforcer of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War, appears uncomfortable with the fast pace of the inter-Korean peace drive given that there has been no tangible progress in Pyongyang's denuclearization.The speculation

Sept. 27, 2018

Suspension of S. Korea-US military drills hurt readiness: USFK chief nominee

WASHINGTON -- The suspension of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States last summer caused a "slight degradation" in the readiness of the allied forces, the nominee to head US Forces Korea said Tuesday.US President Donald Trump announced after his Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June that some of the exercises would be suspended while negotiations to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program were under way.Some 28,500 American troops are st

Sept. 26, 2018

New defense chief vows to buttress Korea peace efforts

South Korea's new Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo took office Friday, vowing to buttress Seoul's ongoing efforts to foster a lasting peace on the divided peninsula.In his inauguration speech, he also reiterated his resolve to build a robust defense posture to counter a "full range of security threats," develop a mutually complementary alliance with the United States and complete the defense reform aimed at creating a smaller yet smarter military."Now, we have removed the curtain of deep confli

Sept. 21, 2018

Naval cadet installed secret camera inside women’s bathroom

A naval academy cadet was found to have installed a secret camera inside a women’s bathroom in a dormitory, the state naval academy said Thursday. The camera was first discovered by another cadet who was cleaning the women’s toilet. She found a smartphone wrapped in paper and reported it to the disciplinary office on Sept. 11, according to the naval academy. (Yonhap)The smartphone was hidden behind the toilet in a piece of A4 paper with a hole to expose the device’s camera. “If you report it, I

Sept. 21, 2018

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US discuss outcome of Pyongyang summit in phone talks

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States on Friday held telephone talks to share the outcome of this week's inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, Seoul's defense ministry said.During the talks, Defense Minister Song Young-moo explained to his US counterpart James Mattis the results of the summit, including the bilateral military agreement on halting all hostile acts, and Seoul's efforts for denuclearization and a lasting peace on the peninsula. (Yonhap)"As the two countries' defense c

Sept. 21, 2018

Ministry denies Seoul and Washington's push for OPCON transfer with specific date in mind

South Korea's defense ministry on Wednesday dismissed a claim that Seoul and Washington have been pushing for the transfer of wartime operational control with a specific timeline in mind.During a presentation at a security forum, Yeo Suk-joo, deputy minister for policy, said that the Moon Jae-in government's position is to push for the transfer by securing needed defense capabilities at an early date. (Yonhap)"The principle of the early, conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control d

Sept. 19, 2018

Joint probe team tentatively concludes defective rotor mast as cause of marine chopper crash

A team of civilian, government and military experts has tentatively concluded that defects in the rotor mast caused the July crash of a marine chopper that killed five troops, a source said Monday.The team explained the interim results of its investigation to the families of the victims on Sunday. The military authorities had planned to announce the results to the media on Monday, but delayed the plan, citing the need for more time.The MUH-1 Marineon, the Marine variant of the KUH-1 Surion helic

Sept. 17, 2018

Gen. Abrams nominated to lead US Forces Korea

Gen. Robert B. Abrams, commander of the US Army Forces Command, has been tapped to lead the US Forces Korea, a military source in Seoul confirmed Monday.Abrams is set to undergo a confirmation hearing at the US Senate Armed Services Committee on Sept. 25, the committee's website showed."Gen. Abrams has been nominated as the new USFK chief and is poised to go through the Senate hearing," the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity.(Yonhap)If his nomination is approved, he will su

Sept. 17, 2018

Korean military keeps monitoring China's installation of buoys: ministry

South Korea's military will keep monitoring China's installation of buoys in the two countries' overlapping exclusive economic zones in the Yellow Sea, Seoul's defense ministry said Friday.The ministry made the remarks amid a news report that Beijing has installed buoys in the open seas -- a possible move to gain an advantage in maritime demarcation negotiations with Seoul. Some even raised suspicion that the buoys could be being placed for military purposes, such as tracking submarines. (Yonhap

Sept. 14, 2018

Korea launches 3,000-ton homegrown submarine

South Korea held a launching ceremony Friday for a 3,000-ton indigenous submarine, a new strategic weapons system designed to bolster underwater defense capabilities.The ceremony for the diesel-electric air-independent propulsion submarine, named after a prominent South Korean independence fighter, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, took place at the Okpo Shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. on the southern island of Geoje. This photo, taken Sept. 14, shows the 3,000-ton diesel-electric a

Sept. 14, 2018

Two Koreas’ militaries hold 17-hour talks in preparation for summit breakthrough

With the leaders of the two Koreas seeking to take significant measures to ease military tensions during their summit next week, the two sides’ militaries held extensive discussions to facilitate the upcoming meeting.During the 17-hour talks that started Thursday morning at the truce village of Panmunjom, the two sides sought to pave the way for a third meeting between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang. While no specific agreements have been announced, the go

Sept. 14, 2018

Two Koreas hold military talks ahead of upcoming summit

The two Koreas discussed detailed measures to cease cross-border hostilities and establish a joint fishing zone during military talks on Thursday to pave the way for next week’s inter-Korean summit. 　The working-level meeting kicked off at 10 a.m. at the North Korean building Tongilgak inside the cross-border village of Panmunjom. The South Korean military said the meeting was requested by North Korea through a letter.　Army Col. Cho Young-keun, who deals with North Korea policy at the Ministry o

Sept. 13, 2018

Defense ministry opens annual security forum to discuss 'sustainable peace'

South Korea's defense ministry began its annual international security forum in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ongoing efforts to denuclearize the peninsula, maritime security, defense in cyberspace and other issues.  The 7th vice-ministerial Seoul Defense Dialogue brought together 250 people from 49 countries and four international organizations, including the UN and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It runs for three days until Friday under the theme of "Sustainable Peace

Sept. 12, 2018

Koreas to hold working-level military talks Thursday

The two Koreas will hold working-level military talks this week to discuss measures to reduce tensions on the border, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday. The colonels' talks scheduled for Thursday will follow up on a tentative agreement reached at a July 31 general-level meeting on issues that include the proposed joint excavation of war remains in the Demilitarized Zone, withdrawal of guard posts from the DMZ on a trial basis and disarmament of the Joint Security Area, a ministry official sa

Sept. 11, 2018

New wheeled armored vehicle to be mass-produced later this year

A new wheeled armored vehicle, designed to enhance troop mobility and survivability, will be mass-produced in the latter half of this year, as it has satisfied operational requirements through a recent field test, the state procurement agency said Monday.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said that the K-808 vehicle, built by Hyundai Rotem Co., a unit of Hyundai Motor Group, successfully underwent the test in field units, such as the Army's 25th and 37th Divisions, from April through

Sept. 10, 2018

11 soldiers injured in armored vehicle accident

POCHEON -- Eleven soldiers were injured when an armored vehicle of the Army fell on its side during a training exercise north of Seoul on Friday, military authorities said. The accident occurred at around 10:15 a.m. while the K-21 armored vehicle and the soldiers on board were joining a firing demonstration training underway as part of preparations for a military exhibition event next week, officials said.  (Yonhap)The injured soldiers were taken to a military hospital for treatment, but no one

Sept. 7, 2018