Defense chief, DSC commander contradict each other on martial law plan

Controversy escalated Tuesday over the defense chief’s alleged attempts to delay briefing Cheong Wa Dae on a martial law document, with the defense security commander offering an account that contradicts the defense chief’s explanation.　During a meeting with lawmakers, Defense Security Commander Army Gen. Lee Suk-koo said he had told Defense Minster Song Young-moo that the document was a “grave issue” and Song acknowledged its seriousness during the briefing on March 16.  　In the document titled

July 24, 2018

Korea, US apart over 'operational military support' cost

In thorny defense-cost sharing talks with South Korea, the United States has created a new category -- operational support -- in an apparent bid to sharply raise Seoul's share of the costs, officials here said Tuesday.It's a major sticking point in the Special Measures Agreement negotiations, as the two sides are preparing for another round of bargaining late next month.(Yonhap)The allies had the fifth round of talks last week at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Seattle.The US choice of the venue w

July 24, 2018

S. Korea pushes for withdrawal of guard posts from DMZ

The Defense Ministry said Tuesday it will seek to withdraw troops and equipment from guard posts inside the Demilitarized Zone, pledging to transform the heavily fortified area into a symbol of peace between the two Koreas. In a briefing to lawmakers, the Ministry of National Defense said the withdrawal plan would be sought “on a trial basis” until the conditions are in place for a complete withdrawal, following environmental and historical research on the cross-border region. A view of Camp Hum

July 24, 2018

Korea, US to hold working-level defense talks this week

South Korea and the United States will hold biannual working-level defense talks in Seoul this week over a range of issues, including the planned transfer of wartime operational control, Seoul officials said Tuesday.The 14th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue will take place from Wednesday through Thursday ahead of their annual minister-level Security Consultative Meeting to be held in Washington in late October. South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo, left, and President Moon Jae-in. (Y

July 24, 2018

Defense, justice ministries to launch joint probe team into Defense Security Command

　The defense and justice ministries on Monday announced a plan to launch a joint investigation into the scandal-ridden Defense Security Command, amid mounting controversy concerning the military organization’s involvement in drafting a martial law document. 　According to the Ministry of National Defense, the joint probe team will consist of military and civilian prosecutors. The measure is expected to boost the transparency of the investigation into retired military and civilian government offic

July 23, 2018

[Newsmaker] Soaring land prices could prevent possible troop withdrawal from DMZ

The two Koreas’ efforts to ease military tension along the border may be hampered by unexpected obstacles – including the vicissitudes of the real estate market. At the April 27 inter-Korean summit, the leaders of the two Koreas pledged to ease tensions, feeding speculations that South Korea’s military is preparing to reduce its presence across the border. Among possibilities being raised is the pulling back of forward-deployed troops near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, particularly t

July 22, 2018

Plan to deploy tanks in Seoul included in martial law document: Cheong Wa Dae

　The government confirmed Friday that the martial law document drawn up by the Defense Security Command during the Park Geun-hye administration included a plan to deploy tanks in Seoul, censor the media and block the National Assembly from ending the emergency action. 　Presidential spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom said during a press briefing that there were key differences from the usual plans for martial law, such as the people who would be in command, indicating the document in question was designe

July 20, 2018

Marine Corps vows to conduct 'neutral, objective' probe

The Marine Corps vowed Friday to conduct a "neutral and objective" probe into this week's deadly chopper crash during its belated press briefing on the accident that killed five service members.The armed service said that it is considering including civilian aviation experts, whom the victims' families recommend, in the probe team that currently consists of military and public officials. It also said that the officials have conducted the on-site investigation and secured witness statements and v

July 20, 2018

[Breaking] Documents indicate martial law proposal more deliberate than thought: Cheong Wa Dae

Documents submitted by the defense ministry show the earlier reported proposal from the defense intelligence agency to declare martial law may have been more deliberate than earlier believed, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Friday, apparently implying the military may have actually sought to go ahead with such a plan.Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said the military maintained and renewed its plans for a martial law every two years, but that the new documents submitted by the mi

July 20, 2018

Civilian experts to join Marine chopper crash probe team

Civilian experts will join a military team tasked with investigating this week's fatal Marine chopper crash in line with a demand from the victims' families for a "neutral, aboveboard" probe, a military source said Friday.The move came a day after Defense Minister Song Young-moo pledged to reflect the families' opinions in the formation of the probe team, which currently consists of military and public officials from the Marine Corps, Navy, Army and Air Force. (Yonhap)The MUH-1 Marineone, the Ma

July 20, 2018

Mechanical defect may be to blame for marine chopper crash: experts

Tuesday’s Marine chopper crash might have been caused by mechanical defects in the latest deployed helicopter, military officials and experts said, as investigation into the fatal accident that killed five Marines and injured one continues.　The MUH-1 Marineone crashed at a Marine base in the southeastern city of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, killing five of the six Marines aboard and injuring the other. The helicopter caught fire after plunging to the landing strip from about 10 meters in t

July 19, 2018

Moon swears in new head of Navy

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday swore in Adm. Sim Seung-seob as the new head of the Navy, raising him from the rank of vice admiral. Sim replaces Adm. Um Hyun-seong as chief of naval operations. The new Navy chief had headed the Chief Directorate of Strategic Planning of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Adm. Sim Seung-seob salutes President Moon Jae-in after being sworn in as the Navy`s new chief of naval operations on Thursday. YonhapSim graduated from the Korea Naval Academy, and served in a numb

July 19, 2018

Air Force to recruit 10 female students as pilots

The Air Force said Thursday it is planning to select 10 female college students each year to train as pilots.Two female students with majors related to aviation will be selected from each of the five Air Force ROTC units, which are at Korea Aerospace University, Hanseo University, Korea National University of Transportation, Sejong University and Yeungnam University. The students will be recruited at 19 years old during their freshman year of college.“Until now, the only way for a woman to becom

July 19, 2018

[Newsmaker] Surion Army choppers grounded after Tuesday crash

South Korea's Army has grounded more than 90 Surion helicopters in service, an official said Wednesday, as safety concern has grown since the deadly crash of a Surion chopper a day earlier.The MUH-1 Marineone, the Marine variant of the KUH-1 Surion helicopter, crashed at a military airport in the southeastern city of Pohang, killing five of the six marines aboard and injuring the other.The Marine Corps is investigating the cause of the incident."We will review whether to resume the operation (of

July 18, 2018

Air Force, Navy conduct large-scale maritime rescue drills

The Air Force and the Navy conducted large-scale joint rescue operation drills in waters off the east coast Tuesday, officials said, as part of efforts to bolster the country's disaster relief capabilities.The drills began near Gangneung, Gangwon Province, at 12:10 p.m., involving various military assets, including C-130 and CN-235 transport aircraft, HH-47 and HH-60 helicopters, the 3,200-ton Cheonghaejin salvage ship and deep-sea divers. An AW-159 Wildcat helicopter of the South Korean Navy ta

July 17, 2018

Moon orders military to submit all documents on martial law allegation

　President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered the military to submit all documents related to the allegation that the Defense Security Command had considered declaring martial law during massive protests against former President Park Geun-hye last year. 　According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon demanded immediate submission of documents exchanged among military agencies during the anti-Park protests. The agencies involved include the Ministry of National Defense, Capital Defense Command, Army headquarters an

July 16, 2018

Did S. Korea army plot coup to keep ousted leader in power?

A group of army generals rolling tanks and troops into Seoul to seize power. Paratroopers firing at large crowds calling for democracy. Tanks and armored vehicles stationed at universities to intimidate student protesters.Such scenes of military intervention in South Korea have been nonexistent since the country achieved democracy in the late 1980s. But revelations this past week of a document showing the military drafted plans to mobilize troops to suppress protests last year have struck a nerv

July 15, 2018

Military prosecutors to launch special probe into martial law allegations

A special team of military prosecutors will launch an investigation Monday into revelations that the military's intelligence unit reviewed the possibility of imposing martial law last year in response to protests calling for then President Park Geun-hye's ousting.President Moon Jae-in ordered the investigation after the disclosure of a Defense Security Command document that showed the military considered imposing martial law and mobilizing forces to quell candlelight protests against Park. (Yonh

July 15, 2018

S. Korea summons Russian military envoy over violation of air defense zone

SEOUL/MOSCOW -- Korea's defense ministry said Saturday it summoned a Russian military envoy over Russian planes' violation of the country's air defense identification zone. The Ministry of Defense said Park Chul-kyun, deputy director-general for international policy of the ministry, summoned Andrey Falileev, Russia's military attache to Korea, to protest Russian military planes' unauthorized entry into the KADIZ on Friday. TU-95 (Yonhap)"Russian military planes' KADIZ entry will not help efforts

July 14, 2018

2 Russian military planes enter Korea's air defense zone 4 times

Two Russian military planes on Friday violated South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) four times and flew away following warnings, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The JCS said that the aircraft first entered the KADIZ north of the eastern island of Ulleungdo at 2:08 p.m. and flew out of it 74 kilometers southeast of Pohang at 2:35 p.m. They re-entered the KADIZ at 3:21 p.m. from the east and then left from the northwest of Jeju Island at 3:45 p.m.At 4:08 p.m., the planes

July 13, 2018