Korean military: No signs of N. Korea's imminent missile launch

South Korea's defense authorities said Thursday there has been no indication of an imminent missile test by North Korea, responding to US news reports that the secretive nation appears to be preparing to fire another intercontinental ballistic missile."There is no activity that would lead to an assessment that a missile provocation by North Korea is imminent," Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press briefing. (Yonhap)He pointed out, however, that it's po

Jan. 4, 2018

Ministry denies reports of UAE troop pullout

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday it has not considered withdrawing troops from the United Arab Emirates amid rampant speculation about ties between the two countries.“The Ministry of National Defense has not reviewed the pullout of the Akh Unit,” the ministry’s public affairs office said in a text message to reporters.It came in response to news reports here that the ministry had suggested South Korea withdraw the 140-strong Special Forces from the Middle Eastern nation by the end o

Jan. 3, 2018

UAE raised holdings of Korean equity by 7.8% last November

The United Arab Emirates purchased a net 967 billion won ($908.6 million) worth of South Korean stocks last November, raising its holdings of local equity by 7.8 percent from a month earlier, data showed Wednesday. The UAE, which held 9.4 trillion won worth of South Korean stocks at the end of November, had remained a net seller of South Korean stocks between June and October last year. It was not known why the UAE turned bullish on local equity in November, but stock market watchers said the ti

Jan. 3, 2018

Controversy escalates over Moon’s chief of staff visit to UAE

 Controversy over a top presidential aide’s visit to the United Arab Emirates last month escalated Tuesday, with speculation emerging that the trip was aimed at resolving bilateral disputes concerning a secret military pact signed during the Lee Myung-bak administration. 　Citing former government officials, local daily Hankook Ilbo reported that the Lee administration secretly signed a Mutual Logistics and Service Agreement with the UAE in 2013, under which South Korea is required to provide log

Jan. 2, 2018

S. Korea awaits N. Korea's response to existing dialogue offer

South Korea's defense ministry said Tuesday its offer of military talks with North Korea is still valid amid cautious optimism that years of tensions on the peninsula will finally begin to ease.In his New Year's message, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un proposed immediate dialogue between the two Koreas on his willingness to send a delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games slated for next month. Choi Hyun-soo, spokesperson for South Korea`s defense ministry, in a file photo (Yonhap)It re

Jan. 2, 2018

Korean military acquires new remote activation munitions

South Korea's elite forces and engineering units have completed the deployment of an advanced but lighter device to detonate explosives via wireless signal, the state arms agency announced Tuesday.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration developed the Remote Activation Munition System in partnership with Huneed Technologies, a local defense firm, in 2014.In December, DAPA wrapped up the delivery of the system to the special forces of the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, as well as engi

Jan. 2, 2018

Defense chief vows reform-based support for inter-Korean dialogue

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Yong-moo said Friday his troops should turn 2018 into the starting year for full-scale reform to support efforts for bringing lasting peace to the peninsula.The top priority is to deter North Korea's provocations, Song said in his new year message issued on the eve of the holiday season.Another key task is defense reform to make the 625,000-strong armed forces as agile and strong as a leopard, he stressed. South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo in a file

Dec. 29, 2017

Korean Army to recruit dronebot operators next year

South Korea's Army said Friday it will select soldiers next year to serve in the envisioned "dronebot combat unit," which it describes as a potential game changer in warfare.The Army will create a related military occupational specialty in the coming year. It stopped short of revealing the exact schedule and size of the new team. South Korean troops use reconnaissance drones during training in this file photo provided by the Korea Army Academy at Yeong-Cheon. (Yonhap)"Drone operation troops will

Dec. 29, 2017

Korea starts 2-day Dokdo defense exercise

South Korea on Thursday began a two-day military exercise for the defense of Dokdo, a set of rocky islets in the East Sea to which Japan lays territorial claim."The Navy will conduct the regular Dokdo defense exercise aimed at preventing the infiltration of external forces into the South Korean territory in conjunction with a flotilla-level field exercise by the Navy's First Fleet," according to the Navy. The First Fleet is based in the East Sea.The exercise is conducted twice a year and involve

Dec. 28, 2017

Ex-USFK commanders support delaying drills for PyeongChang Games

Pushing back joint South Korea-US military drills until after the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games is worth considering, said former commanders of US Forces Korea in a Voice of America report Wednesday.  US warplanes on standby during the Vigilant Ace South Korea-US joint air drill held from Dec. 4 to Dec. 8. YonhapThe idea of postponing joint drills that coincide with the games was first publicly raised by President Moon Jae-in during an interview with US broadcaster NBC on

Dec. 27, 2017

Six Korean warships to retire after three-decade service

The Navy said Wednesday its 1,500-ton Chungnam frigate, known as a benchmark ship, will retire after playing a key role in the defense of South Korean waters for three decades.The Navy plans to hold a retirement ceremony for the ship, one of the first-generation warships here, and five other naval vessels -- three patrol ones and three high-speed boats -- at the Jinhae port later in the day.The country's indigenous Chungnam, 102 meters long and 12 meters wide, was commissioned in 1985.  The 1,50

Dec. 27, 2017

Korea to scrap long-range military radar development project

South Korea's defense authorities decided Tuesday to ditch a program to develop a fixed long-range radar system against North Korea's aircraft.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a contract with LIG Nex1, a local defense firm, for an indigenous radar to replace the aged Air Force ones established largely on hilltops.But the radar developed by the company failed in an operational test in 2014."Multiple defects were found in the test and a violation of contract terms was also det

Dec. 26, 2017

Army blames faulty parts operation for K9 explosion

South Korea's Army said Tuesday a mechanical flaw triggered the explosion of a K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer in August that left three soldiers dead and four others wounded.The howitzer blew up abruptly while in use at a shooting range in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. The Army has since suspended the operation of K9s for training purposes, although it remains operational for combat ones.The detonator ignited by itself and some components functioned abnormally, the Army said after a joint inv

Dec. 26, 2017

Defense ministry to create N. Korea nuke team

South Korea's defense ministry announced Tuesday that it will launch a special team on North Korea in an organizational shift aimed at responding more effectively to increased nuclear and missile threats from the communist neighbor.Under the plan approved at a Cabinet meeting, the Ministry of National Defense will create a post to oversee its North Korea policy under the Office of National Defense Policy led by a deputy minister.It is to serve as the ministry's "control tower" on handling North

Dec. 26, 2017

Korea's military mulls operating F-35B stealth aircraft aboard new amphibious assault ship

South Korea's military has begun to consider operating F-35B stealth aircraft from its newest amphibious landing ship slated to be deployed in 2020, as part of efforts to strengthen its naval power, sources said Sunday.The authorities have recently discussed whether the second 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel can carry the F-35B fighter, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the US-made fifth-generation warplane."I understand that the military top brass have recently discussed whether the

Dec. 25, 2017

US distances itself from Korea's call to postpone military drills

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Wednesday distanced itself from South Korean President Moon Jae-in's call to postpone the allies' military exercises until after the PyeongChang Olympic Games.Moon told US broadcaster NBC Tuesday that the two countries could review the timing of the regular drills to reduce tensions during the event, which will be held some 80 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border.The Winter Games are slated to run from Feb. 9-25, and the Paralympics from March 9-19. They

Dec. 21, 2017

Delay in military drills requires halt to N. Korean provocations: Cheong Wa Dae

South Korea and the United States may delay their joint military exercises only for the duration of the Winter Olympic Games to be held here next year and if the North halts its military provocations, a ranking South Korean official said Wednesday.The remarks came one day after South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in an interview with US broadcaster NBC he has proposed delaying the military drills, which North Korea accuses of a war rehearsal, as part of efforts to reduce tensions during the

Dec. 20, 2017

Arms agency reveals imported parts of key weapons

South Korea's state arms agency on Wednesday made public a list of 15,500 components of weapon systems in use here.It's the first measure taken in coordination with the ruling Democratic Party to promote the local defense industry.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the party had a policy consultation meeting the same day with a view to helping expand arms exports and create jobs. DAPA chief Jeon Jei-guk (Yonhap)The two sides agreed to cooperate on raising the global competitivene

Dec. 20, 2017

Moon says Korea, US could review postponing military drills before Olympics

South Korea and the United States may consider postponing their joint military exercise as part of efforts to reduce tension and invite North Korea to the Winter Olympic Games to be held in South Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday.Moon, however, said the move really depends on the way North Korea behaves."It is possible for South Korea and the US to review the possibility of postponing the exercises. I have made such a suggestion to the US and the US is currently reviewing it

Dec. 20, 2017

Korea to expand women's role in military

South Korea will more than double the number of its female soldiers to 2,450 by 2022 as part of defense reform, the ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.Currently, there are 1,100 active-duty female troops, 5.5 percent of the country's 625,000-strong armed forces. The ministry plans to raise the ratio to 8.8 percent in the last year of the Moon Jae-in administration. Voluntarily enlisted female officers in South Korea's military. (Yonhap)It has also decided to scrap restrictions on assign

Dec. 20, 2017