U.S. generals in S. Korea on educational tour

Twenty newly promoted general-grade officers from the U.S. are on a five-day tour to South Korea under an educational program aimed at enhancing understanding of its key Asian ally.Under the “Capstone” program organized by the U.S. National Defense University, the group, which arrived here Sunday, visited Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and was briefed on the security situation on the Korean Peninsu

May 9, 2011

How does the U.S. name their operation codes?

When the U.S. intelligence caught Osama bin Laden, the first words that came out from the officer in command was “Geronimo EKIA.” Geronimo referred to the legendary Apache Indian who became a hero to Native Americans, and EKIA meant “Enemy killed in Action.”The U.S. has, historically, used codes that tended to summarize the character of the person, often reflecting how the government viewed the pe

May 9, 2011

Indians say bin Laden code name another insult

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. military's use of Geronimo as a code name for Osama bin Laden tarnished the achievement of the raid by insulting an American ethnic group, Native American tribal leaders and advocates told Congress on Thursday.Comparing the legendary Apache leader to a terrorist and enemy of the United States was deeply insulting and did real damage to Native Americans of all ages, said

May 6, 2011

Korea’s Afghan base attacked; no injuries

Four artillery landed in and around a base in Afghanistan, where South Korean aid workers and troops are stationed, early on Thursday, but there were no injuries, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.“Four unidentified artillery rounds landed in and around the base at around 9:30 p.m., local time, but there were no injuries and no damage on our equipment and facilities,” said a JCS official, declining t

May 5, 2011

Military to reshape command structure

Reform measures aim to enhance efficiency and interoperabilityThe South Korean military is stepping up efforts to overhaul its top command structure in a bid to enhance efficiency of its peacetime and wartime operations, and interoperability among the three armed services.On Wednesday, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin reported to President Lee Myung-bak recent developments of the military’s reform en

May 5, 2011

S.Korea to stage live-fire drills near islands: report

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea will stage live-fire artillery exercises in the coming week on two frontline islands including one hit by a deadly North Korean shelling last November, a news report said Saturday.A defense ministry spokesman told AFP that regular military exercises will be carried out on the two islands but declined to give further details on the timing or whether live-fire drills will b

April 30, 2011

N.K. ship violates sea border

A North Korean vessel thought to be a military patrol ship violated the western inter-Korean sea border and retreated back to its waters Tuesday night after a South Korean warship fired warning shots, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday.　“At 9:38 p.m. Tuesday, an unidentified North Korean ship invaded our waters and continued to 700 meters south of the Northern Limit Line (sea border). Our pa

April 27, 2011

Rocket launchers deployed on border islands: source

The South Korean military has deployed a set of multiple launch rocket systems on two of the northwestern border islands in efforts to prepare for North Korean provocations, a government source said Monday.The source said some 10 systems have been sent to Bangnyeong and Yeonpyeong Islands near the western maritime border, where North Korean military attacks have persisted. “The rocket systems have

April 25, 2011

S. Korea deploys extra rocket artillery to Yellow Sea islands

South Korea's military has deployed more rocket artillery to two islands near the Yellow Sea border to guard against a possible attack by North Korea, a government source said Monday, amid high tensions following the North's deadly shelling of one of the islands. An unspecified number of the homegrown 130-millimeter "Kuryong" multiple rocket launchers were recently installed on Baengnyeong and Yeo

April 25, 2011

Korea pledges additional $500,000 for Libyan refugees

South Korea pledged an additional $500,000 to help refugees in and near strife-torn Libya, the foreign ministry said Thursday.The aid will bring Seoul's total assistance for Libyan refugees to $1 million, including $500,000 provided in March. The new assistance will be used via the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the ministry said.Tho

April 21, 2011

Army nursing academy to accept male cadets

The Armed Forces Nursing Academy will begin accepting male cadets for the first time next year, allowing more men to engage in the military nursing service, the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.The ministry will put on public notice the revision to the enforcement ordinance regarding the operation of the hitherto women-only institution from Friday through May 12, officials said.Under the

April 21, 2011

S. Korea's Marine Corps to kick off landing drill in May

 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Marine Corps said Friday that it will launch a large-scale landing drill next month as part of efforts to sharpen its combat capabilities against North Korea.   About 3,000 marines and an unidentified number of troops from the Army, Navy and Air Force will be mobilized for the drill set to take place in Pohang, 374 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in late May, it said.   "

April 15, 2011

S. Korean PM and Chinese president discuss closer ties

BEIJING/SANYA -- South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on a southern Chinese island Thursday for discussions on boosting their countries' bilateral relationship, Kim's office said.Kim, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, flew to Hainan Island to attend the Boao Forum for Asia, an annual regional economic forum that kicked off Thursday.During his meeting with

April 14, 2011

Korea, China agree to increase nuclear safety cooperation

South Korea and China agreed on Wednesday to seek ways to tighten their cooperation on nuclear safety in the wake of massive radiation leaks from a tsunami-hit nuclear plant in Japan and prevent any spread of damage to neighboring countries, the Seoul government said.South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao also vowed efforts to move forward "strategic partn

April 13, 2011

S. Korea to complete building own missile defense by 2015

South Korea’s military will complete building its own missile defense system by 2015 that is designed to intercept ballistic missiles from North Korea, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, amid high tensions following the North’s two deadly attacks last year. South Korea, which has ruled out joining the U.S.-led global missile defense system, has gradually built the independent, low-tier missile def

April 12, 2011

Korea set to sell T-50 jets to Indonesia

Seoul took a step closer to exporting T-50 trainer jets to Indonesia as the Southeast Asian nation selected South Korea’s state-run aircraft maker as the de facto preferred bidder of its trainer jet project, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.“The Indonesian defense ministry informed Korea Aerospace Industries that it will be treated as the preferred bidder of the trainer jet project,” presidential spokes

April 12, 2011

New top commander to enhance interoperability

South Korea’s military plans to create a new top commander to coordinate operations of its armed forces as part of its efforts to enhance the interoperability among the Army, Navy and Air Force, the defense minister said Tuesday.A four-star general will be appointed as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group of military leaders from each branch of the armed services. The vice JCS chair

April 12, 2011