The Korea Herald

New USFK commander vows readiness against N.K.

Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, a veteran commander who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, took over the command of the U.S. Forces Korea on Wednesday with pledges to deter North Korean provocations alongside South Korean forces amid heightened threats.Scaparrotti officially replaced Gen. James Thurman in a change-of-command ceremony held at a U.S. Army base in central Seoul, which was co-hosted by visiting Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel and his Korean counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin, as well as other

Oct. 2, 2013

New USFK commander vows readiness against N.K.

Park pledges strong defense to render N. Korean nukes useless

(Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday South Korea will build strong defense capabilities to deter threats from North Korea and render its nuclear weapons useless. Park made the remark during an Armed Forces Day ceremony, saying the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia is "very grave" as North Korea is persistently pursuing nuclear weapons development in an effort to build more sophisticated bombs. "We have to build strong deterrence against North Korea

Oct. 1, 2013

Seoul faces MD pressure

South Korea is apparently facing growing pressure to join the U.S.-led global missile shield program, which could sour its ties with China and Russia.Top Washington defense officials have talked of the need to step up bilateral missile cooperation as they are visiting Seoul for consultations over the planned transfer of wartime operational control and other pending security issues.Washington has apparently wanted Seoul to join its multilayered missile defense program so that it can connect Japan

Oct. 1, 2013

Seoul shows off missiles targeting North Korea

South Korea staged a massive military parade with the latest indigenous missiles and weapons on Tuesday to celebrate the 65th Armed Forces Day.The Defense Ministry mobilized 11,000 soldiers at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, as well as 190 kinds of ground equipment and 120 aircraft to commemorate the establishment of the nation’s armed forces in 1948. “This year’s Armed Forces Day celebration involves the largest number of forces and equipment since 2003,” the ministry said.Among the

Oct. 1, 2013

Seoul shows off missiles targeting North Korea

Park vows stronger N.K. deterrence

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday vowed to step up efforts for stronger deterrence until Pyongyang made the “right” choice for peninsular peace, as Seoul marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of its armed forces. During Seoul’s largest military parade in a decade, Park said Seoul would strive to quickly acquire key assets, including a low-tier missile defense system, to counter threats from North Korea’s nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction. “The current security environment

Oct. 1, 2013

Park urges Japan to resolve grievances over colonial-era atrocities

South Korean President Park Geun-hye told U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday that Japan should first resolve long-running grievances over its sexual enslavement of Korean women and other colonial-era atrocities if the two neighbors are to build trust and improve ties. Park made the remark after Hagel talked about the importance of resolving historical problems and other issues between Seoul and Tokyo in order to establish a three-way security cooperation between South Korea, Japan an

Sept. 30, 2013

Hagel focuses on vigilance on N.K.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday toured the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas as he began his official schedule here to discuss key security arrangements with Seoul and mark the 60th anniversary of their alliance.“This is a very important location for our relations and probably there is a clear identification of the ROK (Republic of Korea)-U.S. partnership here more than anywhere else,” Hagel told reporters at an observation post in the 4-kilometer-wide buffer zone.“This i

Sept. 30, 2013

Allies explore broader future role

This is the sixth and last in a series of articles to mark the 60th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. ― Ed.Borne of the devastating Korean War 60 years ago, the South Korea-U.S. alliance is now exploring broader roles for ensuring security and prosperity beyond the peninsula.Experts say the partnership will continue to focus on deterring North Korea’s nuclear and conventional threats, while pushing for a wider range of missions such as protecting democracy and fighting piracy, terror

Sept. 30, 2013

U.S. defense chief makes symbolic visit to Korea's truce village

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made a symbolic visit to the heavily armed truce village bordering North Korea on Monday, stressing its strategic importance in defending the Korean Peninsula.Hagel made the Demilitarized Zone tour his first order of an unprecedentedly long, four-day visit to the Asian ally ahead of an annual bilateral defense summit slated for Wednesday, which is expected to assess the North Korean threat and alliance issues with Seoul.Hagel shook hands with soldiers and sp

Sept. 30, 2013

Hagel: Still early for decision on OPCON issue

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said it's premature to conclude a new deal with South Korea on its request for another delay in the transition of operational control (OPCON) of its troops in time of war."I don't think we'll be in a position to make any final decision," Hagel was quoted as telling reporters aboard a military plane heading to South Korea.He added, "I don't think anything is fixed for decades at a time. There's always a review and realignment of responsibilities and forces,"

Sept. 30, 2013

No decision on extending U.S. wartime command of S. Koreans: Hagel

ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT, United States (AFP) -- US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel late Saturday ruled out any quick decision on extending US wartime command over South Korea troops, a move authorities in Seoul are seeking."I don't think we'll be in a position to make any final decision," Hagel told reporters aboard the plane that was taking him to South Korea.In case of war with North Korea, the alliance between Washington and Seoul currently calls for the US military commander to lead the

Sept. 29, 2013

S. Korea considering keeping reconstruction team in Afghanistan after next year

South Korea is considering keeping a team of reconstruction and aid workers in Afghanistan even after their mission ends next year, a senior government official said Sunday.South Korea's provincial reconstruction team (PRT) has been stationed in Afghanistan since 2010 to help rebuild the war-torn nation, building and operating a hospital, a police training center and other aid facilities in the northern province of Parwan.The facilities were handed over to the Parwan government last year, and th

Sept. 29, 2013

S. Korea, U.S. defense chiefs to hold dialogue in Seoul

Defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will meet next week in Seoul to discuss security issues on the Korean Peninsula and boost bilateral military ties as part of their annual dialogue, the government here said Friday. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his American counterpart Chuck Hagel will have the annual Security Consultative Meeting on Wednesday to discuss rising threats posed by North Korea and whether to delay the planned transfer of wartime operational control

Sept. 27, 2013

S. Korea, U.S. struggle to strike deal on USFK cost

South Korea and the United States remain apart over how much Seoul will contribute financially to the presence of American troops on the peninsula, South Korea's top negotiator said Thursday."There are still big differences in the positions of the two sides," Hwang Joon-kook, special ambassador for the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), told reporters after two-day talks here with his U.S. counterpart, Eric John.The allies are currently focusing not only on Seoul's appropriate share itself for th

Sept. 27, 2013

F-5 fighter crashes in central S. Korea, pilot safely ejects

A South Korean F-5 fighter jet crashed into a mountain in the central part of the country Thursday, but the pilot ejected safely just before impact, the Korean Air Force said.The one-seater F-5E took off from an air base in Cheongju, about 137 kilometers south of Seoul, at around 10:48 a.m. for a training exercise, but it crashed into a mountain near Jeungpyeong shortly before noon, the Air Force said in a release. The 32-year-old Air Force captain, only identified by his surname Lee, ejected fr

Sept. 26, 2013

Allies hold talks on cost for USFK

South Korea and the United States opened a new round of negotiations Wednesday on splitting the cost of stationing American troops on the peninsula.The two-day meeting in Washington is the fourth of its kind intended to decide how much South Korea should pay for the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).The U.S., stuck in federal budget problems and confronted with increased North Korean threats, apparently wants South Korea to share more of the burden.The appropriate amount of Seoul's financia

Sept. 26, 2013

JCS chief nominee boosts hopes for better inter-service cooperation

Wednesday’s surprise nomination of Navy chief Adm. Choi Yoon-hee as the new Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman has raised hopes for enhanced maritime defense and inter-service collaboration in the Army-dominated military.In the first reshuffle of top brass since the Park Geun-hye government took office in February, Choi was named to lead the JCS. Should he secure parliamentary approval, Choi would become the first Navy official to take the highest active-duty post.His nomination is expected to mitig

Sept. 25, 2013

Navy chief tapped as new JCS chairman

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Choi Yoon-hee has been tapped as South Korea’s new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in an effort to strengthen inter-service cooperation and maritime defense, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.It is the first time a Navy official has been named to the highest active-duty post. Except for former Air Force Gen. Lee Yang-ho who led the JCS from 1993-94, the post has been held by Army generals.Reputed for his expertise in naval strategies, education and training

Sept. 25, 2013

Navy chief appointed as top S. Korean military commander

South Korea's Navy chief Choi Yoon-hee has been nominated the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the defense ministry said Wednesday. If confirmed, it will mark the first time that the head of the Navy has been appointed to the post.Adm. Choi is expected to replace incumbent chief Gen. Jung Seung-jo, whose two-year term expires soon.The high-level military reshuffle is the first for President Park Geun-hye, who took office in February. The appointment of JCS Chairman requres a parl

Sept. 25, 2013

Seoul resets fighter program

South Korea on Tuesday decided to restart its high-profile fighter acquisition project amid criticism that it has paid more attention to candidates’ price tags than their capabilities and broader strategic interests.A top defense decision-making panel rejected Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle as the winner of the 8.3 trillion won ($7.7 billion) project after it was proposed as the sole candidate despite skepticism over its radar-evading capability and four-decade-old platform.The other two competitors

Sept. 24, 2013