Korea, New Zealand to deepen defense ties

South Korea said Sunday it has agreed to intensify military cooperation with New Zealand, especially on North Korea.The agreement came at a meeting between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his New Zealand counterpart Mark Mitchell held on the sidelines of the 16th Asia Security Summit here. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo (right) shakes hands with his New Zealand counterpart Mark Mitchell in Singapore talks on June 4, 2017, in this photo provided by Han's ministry. (Yonhap)The minsters

June 4, 2017

Minister to clarify Seoul's position on THAAD in talks with Mattis

SINGAPORE -- South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Friday he will clarify the new government's position on the issue of deploying THAAD in talks here with US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis this week.They are scheduled to meet bilaterally on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit set to open in Singapore.Han pointed out President Moon Jae-in's view that the US missile defense system is being deployed without South Korea's "domestic procedural justification."South Korean D

June 2, 2017

[Newsmaker] THAAD scandal sullies duo’s decorated career

During the previous Park Geun-hye administration, most high-profile decisions about national security were led by two former Army generals: Han Min-koo and Kim Kwan-jin. Kim was first defense minister and then the president’s chief security adviser. Han, two years junior to Kim, took over the minister’s office from Kim. The duo shared many aspects in common. They both graduated from the Korean Military Academy, equivalent to West Point in the US, and climbed up the military ladder much faster th

June 1, 2017

Six KF-16 jets to join Red Flag air combat drills in Alaska

Six KF-16 fighter jets of South Korea headed to the US state of Alaska on Thursday to take part in a multinational air combat training led by Pacific Air Forces.The KF-16s took off at around 5:30 a.m., originally scheduled to arrive in Alaska about 10 hours later, according to South Korea's Air Force. South Korea`s KF-16 fighter jets prepare for takeoff to fly to Alaska to join the RED FLAG training on June 1, 2017, in this photo provided by the Air Force. (Yonhap)The flight distance to the Eiel

June 1, 2017

Korea to mass-produce anti-tank guided missile

South Korea is set for the mass-production of the Raybolt medium-range anti-tank guided missile, as it has passed a "quality certification" test, the nation's arms procurement agency said Thursday.The live-fire test of the man-portable rocket system was successful, held at a Pocheon range, northeast of Seoul, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. A Raybolt medium-range anti-tank guided missile is test-fired in this undated photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program

June 1, 2017

Korean defense chief to join security forum in Singapore

South Korea's troubled defense minister will attend a high-level security forum to open in Singapore later this week, his ministry announced Thursday.It would serve as a chance for the minister, Han Min-koo, to focus on a round of "defense diplomacy" on the North Korean issue, taking a break from a massive political controversy over the handling of the US deployment of its advanced missile defense system, called THAAD, here. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo (right) shakes hands with his

June 1, 2017

'US can outpace missile threat through 2020'

WASHINGTON -- The successful shootdown of an intercontinental ballistic missile target in this week's interceptor test shows the United States can "outpace" foreign missile threats through 2020, the US missile defense agency chief said Wednesday.The Pentagon carried out the interceptor test over the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, in which an ICBM-class target was fired from a site in the Marshall Islands and a ground-based interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to interc

June 1, 2017

Moon says missile defense probe not aimed to reverse deployment

President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday South Korea‘s ongoing probe of the delivery of a US missile defense system is not intended to reverse the deployment agreement between the two countries but to conduct it with appropriate domestic procedures, according to the presidential office.Moon ordered a probe on Tuesday into the “undisclosed” delivery of four additional launchers of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system after the defense ministry failed to report it to the presidential policy

May 31, 2017

[News Focus] THAAD fiasco spurs call for military overhaul

Since South Korea and the United States announced in February last year that they had kicked off negotiations to station a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery here, the whole process has been shrouded in secrecy.The deployment of THAAD components -- two launchers arrived at Osan Air Base in March -- began at midnight and went public a day later. Despite a series of reports that there were four additional launchers placed somewhere to complete a THAAD battery, the allies had not verified

May 31, 2017

Defense chief says probe will reveal truth behind THAAD dispute

South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Wednesday asked the media to wait for the results of an investigation into whether his ministry has done something wrong in connection with the deployment here of the US missile defense system called THAAD.Han's ministry has come under fire since the country's new president, Moon Jae-in, openly took a swipe at it on Thursday. Moon said he was belatedly informed of the presence of four additional THAAD interceptor launchers in South Korea. Defense Mini

May 31, 2017

US 'very transparent' with THAAD deployment in Korea: Pentagon spokesman

The US Defense Department said Tuesday it has been "very transparent" in its deployment of the THAAD missile defense system to South Korea, after President Moon Jae-in expressed frustration and ordered an investigation into how additional launchers were brought in without his knowledge."We continue to work very closely with the Republic of Korea government and we have been very transparent in all of our actions throughout this process," Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters.(Yo

May 31, 2017

3,500 US troops to deploy to Korea as part of force rotation

WASHINGTON -- A US Army brigade with some 3,500 troops will deploy to South Korea this summer as part of a regular rotation of forces, the Department of the Army has announced.The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, will replace the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and support the United States Forces-Korea's commitment to Republic of Korea partners, the department said in a statement. (Yonhap)"The Black Jack Brigade l

May 30, 2017

House bill calls for $2.1b defense investment in Asia-Pacific, including THAAD

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee has introduced a bill that would authorize the spending of $2.1 billion on enhancing US defense capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, including $1 billion for procuring THAAD or other missile interceptors.The office of Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said the lawmaker submitted the Strengthening Security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Act (H.R. 2621) last week in an effort to increase critical capabilities so as to support US military r

May 30, 2017

Foreign ministry conducts simulated anti-hacking drill: source

The foreign ministry Monday started an anti-hacking exercise that simulates an infiltration into its computer systems in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service, a government source said. The five-day training is part of efforts to beef up its cybersecurity ability amid growing hacking threats. Employees monitor possible WannaCry ransomware attacks at the Korea Internet and Security Agency in Seoul on May 17, 2017. (Yonhap)The cybersecurity center of the spy agency plays a role as an

May 29, 2017

Seoul's NSC chief to visit parliament to report on N. Korean missile

The head of South Korea's National Security Council was set to visit the National Assembly on Monday to brief ruling and opposition party leaders about the latest missile provocation by North Korea.Chung Eui-yong, the chairman of the NSC's standing committee, was set to meet with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and floor leaders of four major political parties, according to an official from the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. Chung Eui-yong, the chairman of the NSC's standing committ

May 29, 2017

18 soldiers commissioned in Korea's 'Talpiot' program

Eighteen South Korean soldiers were commissioned Friday as second lieutenants under the local military's program modeled after Israel's Talpiot training program, the defense ministry said.They will serve at the Agency for Defense Development, the country's state agency for research and development in defense technology, for three years. They are 14 army officers, two naval and two air force ones. (Yonhap)The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning launch

May 26, 2017

Navy captain arrested for sexual assault of subordinate

A Navy captain was arrested Thursday on charges of sexual assault following the death of a Navy lieutenant in an apparent suicide. According to the Navy, the female lieutenant was found dead at her home Wednesday. Her body was discovered by a friend who came by when she did not show up for work.  Navy (Yonhap)The captain, who worked at the Navy headquarters in Kyerong, was arrested by the military police after a friend of the victim told the police that she was sexually assaulted, added the Navy

May 25, 2017

USFK honors fallen soldiers in Yongsan ceremony

American troops in South Korea on Thursday commemorated the fallen service members of the United States and South Korea in a ceremony held on the occasion of Memorial Day."Today, we gathered to pay our respects to the fallen, those humble souls who came before us and died in the service of their nations ... to honor what they gave to us," Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, commander of the US Forces Korea said. "And being mindful of our stewardship of that gift, we must ensure that the price paid was not d

May 25, 2017

Korean military to upgrade foe, friend identification system

South Korea's defense authorities on Wednesday approved a procurement project to improve the military's system to identify aircraft and determine whether it's an enemy or a friendly force.In a monthly meeting on pending arms-related projects, presided over by Defense Minister Han Min-koo, the military decided to launch the Identification Friend or Foe program next year via both the country's own R&D and overseas purchase, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.South Korean A

May 24, 2017

Korea forms consultative body against 'WannaCry' attack

South Korean formed a policy consultative body to actively deal with the global WannaCry ransomware attacks that have affected the country along with the rest of the world, the government said Tuesday.The body is made up of government officials, researchers from state-run tech institutes, including the Korea Internet & Security Agency, and major tech firms such as Microsoft Korea and Samsung Electronics Co., the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said. (Yonhap)Members held their first

May 23, 2017