The Korea Herald

Putting nuclear weapons back in S. Korea could be considered to pressure China to rein in NK: ex-CIA chief

Bringing US tactical nuclear weapons back to South Korea or relaxing restrictions on Seoul's civilian nuclear industry could be considered as a means to put pressure on China to work harder to get North Korea to give up its nuclear program, a former CIA director said Tuesday.Michael Hayden, who served as CIA chief from 2006-2009, made the suggestion in an article to The Hill newspaper, expressing concern that the North will likely be able to "reach the Pacific Northwest with a nuclear-armed miss

Nov. 16, 2016

Putting nuclear weapons back in S. Korea could be considered to pressure China to rein in NK: ex-CIA chief

Defense ministry set to finalize deal to secure site for THAAD

South Korea's defense ministry is set to conclude a deal to acquire a site for an advanced US missile defense system from Lotte Group, a military source said Tuesday.The Ministry of National Defense has tentatively agreed to secure the Lotte Skyhill Country Club in the southeastern rural county of Seongju from the nation's fifth-largest conglomerate. The ministry suggested giving state-owned land near Seoul to Lotte in exchange for the golf course, a military official told Yonhap News Agency."Lo

Nov. 15, 2016

Opposition cries foul over Korea-Japan military pact signing

Opposition parties Tuesday set in motion a campaign to oust Defense Minister Han Min-koo over a controversial military pact with Japan that was tentatively signed by the two sides late Monday. Making good on their pledge, the three groups -- the Democratic Party of Korea, People’s Party and Justice Party -- decided to submit a parliamentary motion to recommend the minister’s dismissal on Nov. 30 and put it to vote at a plenary session slated for Dec. 2.Its passage is likely, since the opposition

Nov. 15, 2016

Opposition cries foul over Korea-Japan military pact signing

Trump unlikely to drastically change US defense policy on South Korea

The US defense policy concerning South Korea is unlikely to undergo an extensive change under the leadership of President-elect Donald Trump, US experts said at a Seoul symposium Tuesday.Trump, who beat Democratic Party favorite Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election last week, has publicly made controversial comments. They include the accusation US allies are “freeloading” on defense, and he even seemed to toy with the prospect of pulling US forces out of South Korea unless the host co

Nov. 15, 2016

Trump unlikely to drastically change US defense policy on South Korea

Opposition parties to recommend dismissal of defense minister over Korea-Japan military pact

Opposition parties on Tuesday agreed to submit a motion later this month to recommend the dismissal of Defense Minister Han Min-koo to make good on their pledge to unseat him for the provisional signing of a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.The Democratic Party, the People's Party and the Justice Party made the agreement to submit the motion on Nov. 30 and put it to vote during the National Assembly's plenary session slated for Dec. 2. Defense Minister Han Min-koo is seen attending

Nov. 15, 2016

Opposition parties to recommend dismissal of defense minister over Korea-Japan military pact

Marine Corps chief inspects western front-line troops

The chief of South Korea's Marine Corps on Tuesday inspected front-line troops along the tense western sea border with North Korea.The Marine Corps' commander, Lt. Gen. Lee Sang-hoon, called for full readiness and a swift response against any provocations by the North during the visit to the islands of Yeonpyeong and Udo, the Marine Corps said in a statement. In this photo taken on Nov. 15, 2016, the Marine Corps' commander, Lt. Gen. Lee Sang-hoon, speaks during his visit to Yeonpyeong Island, a

Nov. 15, 2016

Marine Corps chief inspects western front-line troops

US welcomes Korea-Japan intel sharing deal

The US Defense Department on Monday welcomed the provisional signing of a military intelligence sharing agreement between South Korea and Japan."We noted the recent media reports that the Governments of the Republic of Korea and Japan reached a provisional agreement on a bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement," Cmdr. Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, told Yonhap News Agency. "A potential ROK-Japan GSOMIA could strengthen cooperation between our two closest allies in Northeas

Nov. 15, 2016

Seoul tentatively signs intel pact with Japan

South Korea and Japan on Monday tentatively signed a much-disputed bilateral security cooperation agreement, despite expected political backlash. Officials from Seoul’s Defense Ministry met with their Japanese counterparts in Tokyo for the third working-level meeting for the General Security of Military Information Agreement between the two countries, where they put the finishing touches on the deal.“South Korea and Japan confirmed that they share the view concerning the ongoing negotiations abo

Nov. 14, 2016

Seoul tentatively signs intel pact with Japan

Navy chief inspects drills, calls for readiness against NK missiles

South Korea's Navy chief on Monday inspected a military exercise in the East Sea designed to enhance its capabilities to counter North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missiles.Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Um Hyun-seong called for full readiness and a swift reaction if provoked during the inspection aboard a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, widely known as a "submarine killer." The exercise began Thursday with the aim to assess and improve South Korea's capabilities to strike North Korean sub

Nov. 14, 2016

[Graphic News] Comparison: How much S. Korea, Japan pay for US Forces

US President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that Washington’s allies are “freeloading” on defense could foreshadow bumpy negotiations over sharing the cost of stationing US forces here.As of 2016, South Korea pays about 944.1 billion won ($808 million) for the US Forces Korea, which covers for a little less than half of its estimated operating costs. Japan, which hosts more US troops of some 54,000 in military personnel alone, agreed in 2015 to spend about 189.9 billion yen annually, according to t

Nov. 13, 2016

[Graphic News] Comparison: How much S. Korea, Japan pay for US Forces

Military heightens readiness after NK leader's border unit visits

South Korea will ramp up its readiness against possible provocations by North Korea ahead of the sixth anniversary of the North's shelling of a western border island in 2010, military officials said Sunday.As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently visited front-line units near the border with the South, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff does not rule out the possibility of a shelling by the North against the South's Yeonpyeongdo Island or other northern border islands in the West Sea. The North's

Nov. 13, 2016

Seoul, Tokyo to tentatively sign intelligence-sharing pact next week

South Korea plans to tentatively sign a bilateral pact with Japan on sharing military intelligence on North Korea as early as next week despite strong objection from opposition parties, according to the defense ministry Friday.The two sides last week reopened negotiations in Tokyo after a botched attempt four years ago. They initiated the pact in 2012, but Seoul suspended its signing as opposition parties and civic groups claimed the deal was arranged too hastily and in secret."South Korea and J

Nov. 11, 2016

Trump's victory emboldens Seoul's nuclear armament advocates

A group of hawkish lawmakers gathered Friday to discuss South Korea's development of its own nuclear weapon amid the rising geopolitical uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula following the victory of Republican Donald Trump in the US presidential election.A number of lawmakers at the ruling Saenuri Party have been insisting South Korea must consider having its own nukes, following the continuous provocations made by Pyongyang which staged nuclear and missile tests throughout this year."President

Nov. 11, 2016

Navy plans anti-submarine exercise amid growing N. Korea threats

South Korea's Navy said Thursday it will conduct an exercise in the East Sea to better counter possible missile attacks by North Korean submarines.The exercise, which will run from Friday through Tuesday, will involve 10 warships, such as the 7,600-ton Aegis-equipped Sejong the Great destroyer, submarines, P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and fighter jets.It said officials from the US Undersea Warfighting Development Center (UWDC) plan to assess the Korean Navy's capabilities when it comes to operat

Nov. 10, 2016

Navy plans anti-submarine exercise amid growing N. Korea threats

Seoul, Tokyo close to inking security cooperation pact

South Korea and Japan are close to signing a controversial military information sharing pact, Seoul officials said Tuesday. “(Seoul and Tokyo) were close to an agreement in 2012, so we will be able to arrange the draft in a short period,” said Moon Sang-kyun, spokesman for the Defense Ministry.A second working-level meeting is scheduled to be held in Seoul on Wednesday for the General Security of Military Information Agreement, which would mark Seoul’s first bilateral military agreement with Tok

Nov. 8, 2016

Seoul, Tokyo close to inking security cooperation pact

Britain sends fighter jets to trilateral air exercise in Korea

Britain on Tuesday sent its fighter jets to South Korea for the first time since the Korean War to join the first-ever trilateral combined air exercise with the US amid growing threats from North Korea. Four Eurofighter Typhoons arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, Tuesday morning along with a Voyager tanker aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and around 200 British airmen as part of the weeklong "Invincible Shield" drill that ends Thursday, the A

Nov. 8, 2016

South Korea launches eighth 1,800-ton submarine

South Korea launched its eighth 1,800-ton submarine on Tuesday in an effort to reinforce its maritime combat capability in the face of North Korea’s growing threat including its submarine-launched missiles. The Lee Beom-seok submarine, named after a renowned independence fighter, was unveiled in the shipyard of its manufacturer Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) in Geojedo, 333 kilometers (207 miles) south of Seoul. It is scheduled to be deployed in late 2018 after a test and re

Nov. 8, 2016

Korea, US conduct joint infiltration drill amid NK threat

South Korea's Army on Tuesday conducted an air infiltration drill with the support of US helicopters in a move to better counter growing nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea. The latest maneuver is part of the broader Hoguk combined drill, which the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have carried out every year since 1996. The two-weeklong Hoguk combined exercise will run through Nov. 11.Some 250 South Korean soldiers from the 30th Mechanized Infantry Division boarded helicopters

Nov. 8, 2016

Military on high alert against NK threats around US election

South Korea's military said Monday it will stay on high alert as North Korea may fire an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) around the US presidential election scheduled for Tuesday.Military officials said Pyongyang may want to send a strong message to the new US president that it will not give up its nuclear and missile development programs despite international condemnations and sanctions. "We are closely watching every move by the North Korean military at its Punggye-ri nuclear test

Nov. 7, 2016

UN Korean War veterans to gather in Busan this week

An annual ceremony will be held at the United Nations park in the southern port city of Busan this week to commemorate the fallen heroes of the Korean conflict, the war veterans ministry said Monday. Nearly 2 million soldiers from 21 countries were dispatched to fight alongside South Korean soldiers in the 1950-53 war under the UN flag against the invading North Korean forces. More than 150,000 of them were killed, wounded, went missing or became prisoners of the war. To remember the fallen hero

Nov. 7, 2016