S. Korea, US start maritime drills against N. Korea

The South Korean and US navies on Monday kicked off massive combined drills off the coast of the peninsula amid heightened tensions.The allies plan to continue the Maritime Counter Special Operations Exercise through Friday in the East Sea and the Yellow Sea, also known as the West Sea.It involves the US 7th Fleet's aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) and two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers -- the USS Stethem (DDG-63) and the USS Mustin (DDG-89).The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), a U.S. airc

Oct. 16, 2017

S. Korea's defense chief visits US nuclear sub

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Saturday emphasized the significance of the "regular deployment of US strategic assets" to the peninsula, citing continued North Korean threats.He made the comments while visiting the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN-727), which arrived at the Busan naval port on Friday for a routine tour. Defense Minister Song Young-moo and members of the National Assembly defense committee pose after visiting the US nuclear-powered submarine

Oct. 14, 2017

US to send B-1B bomber, F-22 fighters to Seoul airshow

The US said Friday it will dispatch a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber, F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets and several other types of key defense assets to a Seoul airshow to be held next week."Approximately 200 US personnel are expected to participate in the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2017, scheduled from Oct. 17-22 at the Seoul K-16 airport," the 7th Air Force said in a statement. (Yonhap)Among the US military aircraft to join the biennial event are the F-22 Raptor,

Oct. 13, 2017

US nuclear submarine in Korea

A guided-missile US nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea Friday for a routine visit, the US Navy announced.The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN-727) arrived at the southern port of Busan as part of a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific, it said.It marks the sub's first visit here in nearly six months. The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, arrives at the port of Busan in South Korea. (Yonhap)"The US and ROK (South Korea) navies have alw

Oct. 13, 2017

New K-2 battle tanks to use imported transmission: arms agency

South Korea plans to complete the mass production and deployment of additional K-2 main battle tanks by 2020, three years behind the original target date, due to technical setbacks, the state arms agency said Friday.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration initially sought the domestic supply of a powerpack, which comprises transmission and engine, for the second round of mass production, in preference to the German-designed one used for the previous production run, which began in 2013.But

Oct. 13, 2017

Allies to approve plan for new command next month

 South Korea and the United States will next month endorse a draft plan to establish a new command structure that will be applied when Seoul takes back wartime operational control of its country’s troops from Washington, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Thursday. 　The scheme will be approved when the allies’ defense leaders hold their annual Military Committee Meeting and Security Consultative Meeting from Oct. 27-28 in Seoul, said the ministry in a report submitted to lawmakers during the first pa

Oct. 12, 2017

Korea, US to draft plan for future alliance command

The South Korean and US militaries will soon formalize a plan to create a new combined command, which will become effective when Seoul regains its wartime operational control of the country's troops, the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.The allies plan to approve the scheme in their annual Military Committee Meeting and Security Consultative Meeting later this month, it told lawmakers.The MCM is an annual session involving the chairmen of the allies' joint chiefs of staff. This year's

Oct. 12, 2017

Korean defense chief orders anti-hacking measures

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo has ordered the military to take measures to fend off North Korea's hacking attempts, his ministry said Thursday.The move came amid public criticism of the defense authorities over a fresh allegation that the North's hackers stole a vast cache of classified military documents in 2016. This image, provided by Yonhap News TV, represents hacking into the South Korean defense ministry`s database. (Yonhap)The leaked data includes a South Korea-US wartime o

Oct. 12, 2017

Korea, US set for naval mine warfare drill

South Korea's Navy said Wednesday it will soon begin a joint naval mine warfare exercise with the United States off the peninsula's southeastern coast.The two sides plan to kick off the weeklong training Saturday following a related symposium hosted by Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, who commands US Naval Forces Korea, it added.The three-day forum, which starts Thursday, will be joined by representatives from nine other countries -- South Africa, New Zealand, Britain, Japan, Canada, Thailand, Turkey, Aus

Oct. 11, 2017

Korea short of critical combat repair parts: lawmaker

South Korea is short of critical military repair parts that should be in stock for possible combat operations, a lawmaker said Wednesday, warning the shortage could "considerably" hinder wartime missions.Citing reports from the defense ministry, Rep. Kim Hack-yong of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said that the military had set a goal of acquiring 653,000 repair parts last year, but its actual stockpile stood at 512,000, or 78.4 percent of the target figure. This photo, taken Aug. 31, 2

Oct. 11, 2017

US nuclear sub in Korea: US military

A US nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine arrived in South Korea last weekend as part of its regional deployment, the US military announced Wednesday.The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Tucson (SSN 770) made a port call in Jinhae, also known as Chinhae, in the country's southeastern region Saturday, according to the Pacific Command."With a crew of approximately 150, Tucson can conduct a multitude of missions and maintain proficiencies of the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet," t

Oct. 11, 2017

Two B-1B bombers hold nighttime drill against N. Korea

Two B-1B strategic bombers of the US Air Force trained with South Korea's fighter jets over the Korean Peninsula earlier this week in yet another show of force against North Korea, the allies said Wednesday.The bombers from Guam entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone at around 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff.They staged a simulated air-to-ground missile firing drill with two F-15K fighters over the East Sea and flew across the peninsula, it said.The

Oct. 11, 2017

Korea develops submarine combat system

South Korea has successfully developed a combat system for its envisioned 3,000-ton attack submarine, the state arms agency announced Tuesday.The country plans to build a total of nine 3,000-ton submarines with its own technology in the Chang Bogo III project and the first is scheduled to be launched next year, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.They will replace the Navy's nine aging 1,200-ton subs in stages. It also has nine 1,800-ton diesel-electric ones. An image of

Oct. 10, 2017

Korean k-9 howitzer displayed at US military exhibition

　South Korea’s arms maker Hanhwa Techwin has showcased a self-propelled howitzer in a major international trade show of weapons currently taking place in Washington, the US, the Seoul-based company said Monday.  　The K-9 Thunder was displayed at the 2017 Annual Meeting & Exposition of the Association of the United States Army, which is one of the biggest international military exhibitions in the Americas. It will run through Wednesday, local time. 　“South Korea has been an importer of US weapons

Oct. 9, 2017

South Korea seeks to use AI for military operations

　South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday that it plans to use artificial intelligence in military operations to assist battle commanders in making informed decisions during a combat.　The ministry is seeking to develop the AI-based system by 2025 to support commanders’ decision-making process. The envisioned system will be distributed to front-line units following extensive field tests. 　Once it becomes operational, commanders will be able to rely on the intelligence provided by AI to come up

Oct. 9, 2017

Abusive treatment most common among Marines: lawmaker

 　Bullying, violence and abuse occur most frequently among the Marines than in any other military branch, a lawmaker said Monday.　The number of Marines punished for military law violations in the past five years is more than twice that of the Army, Navy and Air Force, said Rep. Kim Joong-ro of the People’s Party, citing data from the Defense Ministry. 　A total of 69 Marines were convicted and punished by the military court, compared to 28 in the Army, 27 in the Navy and 24 in the Air Force. Mari

Oct. 9, 2017

Army soldier killed by ‘stray bullet’ from firing range: ministry

The recent death of a South Korean Army soldier near a local shooting range has been attributed to a "stray bullet" caused by poor fire safety procedures, the defense ministry said Monday.The findings come after it conducted a 10-day special investigation into the death of the 22-year-old private first class late last month.He was hit by a bullet in the head while walking back to his base in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, after carrying out some construction work. The firing range was located about

Oct. 9, 2017

Hanwha Group joins global arms expo in Washington D.C.

Defense companies belonging to South Korea's Hanwha Group have participated in a major defense expo underway in Washington D.C., as they strive to tap into the vast US and Latin American markets, coprporate sources said Monday.Hanwha is operating a booth at the AUSA 2017 Annual Meeting & Exposition that opened earlier in the day. Hosted by the Association of the United States Army, and attended by more than 600 defense companies from around the world. The annual event is scheduled to run through

Oct. 9, 2017

Korea plans to use AI to assist military commanders

South Korea plans to use artificial intelligence to assist local commanders make appropriate and timely decisions, a military source here said Monday. The source said the Ministry of Defense is working to establish an AI system by 2025 to help the decision making process at operational commands and it plans to distribute the system to local units after extensive field tests. Once the machine-assisted decision making system is set up and operational, military commanders will be able to use it as

Oct. 9, 2017

Korea close to developing 'blackout bomb'

South Korea has secured technologies to build a non-lethal graphite bomb which can paralyze the North's power systems in case of war, military sources said Sunday. The so-called "blackout bomb" works by spreading chemically treated carbon graphite filaments over electric facilities to short-circuit and disrupt the power grid.  Agency for Defense Development (Yonhap)The weapon has been developed by the Agency for Defense Development as key part of South Korea's pre-emptive strike program called K

Oct. 8, 2017