Gov't inks deal to buy 4th Surion chopper for police use

The government signed a 21.7 billion won ($19.2 million) deal on Tuesday to buy its fourth Surion helicopter for police use, to be stationed on Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, the state procurer said.The rotary aircraft will be an upgrade from existing Surions in service with law enforcement, said Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., the maker of the chopper.The chopper will enter service in 2017 and comes equipped with weather radar, a traffic collision avoidance system, inertial navigation s

Oct. 20, 2015

Korea, Japan defense chiefs poised for talks

Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, were to hold talks Tuesday to discuss military issues, including Japan's recent security legislation that expands Japanese forces role abroad.The talks scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul will mark the top defense officials' second meeting this year following the previous one held in Singapore on the sidelines of a regional security forum in May.  It will also mark the first visit by a Japan

Oct. 20, 2015

U.S. F-22 combat jets to perform aerial demo for defense exhibition

Two U.S. F-22 stealth fighter jets will perform aerial demonstrations during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition to be hosted by the Defense Ministry this week, the U.S. Seventh Air Force said Monday."Aerial demonstrations will be performed by the F-22 Demonstration Team from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and the C-17 Demonstration team from Hickam AFB, Hawaii," the Seventh Air Force headquartered at Osan Air Base said.About 150 U.S. military service members from the U.S

Oct. 19, 2015

Concerns over airpower vacuum rise

Concerns are escalating over a possible airpower vacuum in South Korea as the country’s warplane acquisition is not faring well with difficulties in procuring key technologies from the U.S. and the aging fighter fleet.Last week, Washington reiterated its position against Seoul’s call for the technological transfer, foreshadowing a potential delay in Seoul’s ambitious project to develop an indigenous fighter jet, which is already more than a decade behind schedule.For the South’s Air Force, the p

Oct. 18, 2015

S. Korea, U.S. capable of countering N. Korea's SLBMs: U.S. navy chief

   South Korea and the U.S. are capable of detecting and countering North Korea's sea-based ballistic missiles, the U.S. navy chief said Friday, stressing that if the North launches any provocations they will be met with a "proportional" response.   North Korea is believed to be preparing for another test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the near future following its claim of a successful SLBM test in May, according to recent U.S. news reports.   Such tests could indicate significant

Oct. 16, 2015

Korea, Japan defense chiefs to meet in Seoul

The defense ministers of South Korea and Japan plan to hold talks next Tuesday as the two countries spur efforts to thaw frayed relations, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Friday. The meeting will take place between Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani on the sidelines of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, which is scheduled to kick off that day at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Nakatani is expected to attend a welcome dinner for the six-day fa

Oct. 16, 2015

Korea, Japan defense chief to meet in Seoul next week

Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani will hold talks next week on bilateral issues, including Japan's security legislation that expands the Japanese military's role abroad, the Defense Ministry said Friday.  In the talks to be held on Tuesday in Seoul, Han and Nakatani will also discuss security issues and their defense policies, as well as bilateral cooperation and exchanges, according to a statement released by the ministry.  Focus will likely be on Japan's re

Oct. 16, 2015

Japan‘s Defense Minister Nakatani to visit Seoul for defense talks next week

Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani will visit Seoul next week to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo on Japan's recent security legislation, a government source said Tuesday.  "Defense Minister Nakatani will pay the visit on the occasion of the ADEX exhibition to be held from Oct. 20-25," the official said, referring to South Korea's forthcoming International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition.  During the visit, the top defense officials will hold the talks to discuss implic

Oct. 13, 2015

Navy to launch commemorative fleet parade involving USS Ronald Reagan

The Navy said Tuesday it will open a week-long parade of its fleet this week in honor of the 70th anniversary of its foundation, bringing together a group of U.S. warships, including the USS Ronald Reagan.  The parade will kick off on Saturday in the waters off the southern port city of Busan for a seven-day run, according to the Navy.   A fleet of about 30 South Korean Navy and Coast Guard vessels, including submarines and an Aegis combat system-equipped destroyer, will participate in the marit

Oct. 13, 2015

Trump insists S. Korea is getting defense free ride from U.S.

U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump insisted Monday that South Korea is getting a defense free ride from the United States, claiming the contribution Seoul pays for the upkeep of American troops is "peanuts," compared with what the U.S. spends.Trump made the remark during a campaign speech in New Hampshire after an audience member pointed out that it's inaccurate to claim that South Korea pays nothing for the U.S. defending the country and that Seoul paid more than $860 millio

Oct. 13, 2015

Defense minister under consideration to join Park's U.S. visit

Defense Minister Han Min-koo is under consideration to join President Park Geun-hye's state visit to the United States later this month, government officials said Thursday.The inclusion of Han in Park's entourage is expected to bolster her consultation with President Barack Obama on the defense front.Park is to fly to Washington for summit talks with Obama scheduled for Oct. 16. "A plan to let Defense Minister Han travel alongside President Park is being reviewed," a government official said. "I

Oct. 8, 2015

U.S. navy chief to visit S. Korea

The U.S. navy chief will visit South Korea later this month for meetings with the country's new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his counterpart and other military officials, his office said Wednesday.Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson will travel together with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens on a trip that will begin with a stop in Hawaii on Monday and will also take them to Japan, the Philippines, Bahrain and Italy, the office said.It did not provide detai

Oct. 8, 2015

Korea, British navy chiefs discuss cooperation

South Korea's Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Jung Ho-sup Tuesday discussed ways to expand naval cooperation with his British counterpart, the Navy said.In the meeting with Adm. George Zambellas, the chief of the naval staff of the Royal Navy, the officials also delved into how to further tighten their cooperation in global peacekeeping operations, as well as in the defense manufacturing industry, the Navy said.The security situation on the Korean Peninsula was also part of the discussion. Zambellas ar

Oct. 6, 2015

JCS chief nominee says no plan to adopt THAAD

South Korea has no plan yet to adopt the U.S.' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system although its local deployment could benefit the South Korean military, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman designate said Monday."At this moment, our military does not have any plan to introduce THAAD," Army Gen. Lee Sun-jin said in a parliamentary confirmation hearing. "The military currently has weapon systems it is trying to deploy within the Korean Air and Missile Defense system," he added.The remarks we

Oct. 5, 2015