Seoul to develop insect-inspired microrobots for covert military surveillance

South Korea aims to develop swarm-capable, insectlike microrobots for covert military surveillance and reconnaissance by 2027, the government-run military technology agency announced Monday. The state-led research project is the country’s first move to design and manufacture advanced, miniaturized military spy robots to prepare for future warfare with advanced technologies. The goal of the project is to develop “microrobots that can perform surveillance and reconnaissance mission

March 7, 2022

Military to offer chopper fuel to help contain east coast wildfires

South Korea's military plans to provide aviation fuel from its oil reserves, and mobilize 2,390 troops and 26 choppers Monday to help contain wildfires in eastern coastal areas, the defense ministry said. The military will offer fuel enough for the single-day operation of 10 helicopters, as firefighting authorities are struggling to put out the blaze that began Friday in Uljin, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and spread to nearby areas. The move came a day after Defense Minister Suh Wook call

March 7, 2022

JCS chairman makes first visit to Saudi to enhance military cooperation

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman will make his first visit to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to boost military exchange and defense industrial cooperation and attend the country’s inaugural international defense exhibition. JCS chairman Gen. Won In-choul was invited by Saudi Arabia’s Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili for the four-day trip, the South Korean military said in a statement. This marks the first time that a South Korean JCS chairma

March 4, 2022

Lee Jae-myung envisions efficient, powerful military for future warfare

Presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea will build up an efficient and powerful military prepared for future warfare, his adviser said in an interview with The Korea Herald. South Korea has faced rapidly mounting North Korean nuclear and missile threats and new and emerging security challenges across all domains. The intricate regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific have been compounded by the growing US-China rivalry and the heated arms race. At this junctu

March 2, 2022

N. Korea's reluctance to forgo nukes could rise amid Ukraine crisis: ex-USFK chiefs

Russia's invasion of Ukraine could further increase North Korea's reluctance to abandon nuclear arms, former US Forces Korea (USFK) chiefs have said, raising the need for Seoul and Washington to beef up their combined readiness. In its monthly newsletter, the Korea-US Alliance Foundation (KUSAF) released a summary of their recent comments on the Ukraine crisis and its ramifications on the Korean Peninsula without identifying them. Their comments came amid a view that Russia's attack on the pro-W

March 2, 2022

Military reports 740 more COVID-19 cases

The military on Monday reported 740 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 18,471. The new cases included 498 from the Army, 118 from the Air Force, 50 from the Navy, 31 from the Marine Corps and 31 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. There were also seven cases from the ministry, three from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command and two from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently, 5,233 military personnel are under treatm

Feb. 28, 2022

Yoon Suk-yeol pursues ‘peace through strength’ on the Korean Peninsula

Presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party seeks to establish “peace through power” on the Korean Peninsula, which is the guiding principle of his security and defense strategy. “Peace cannot be kept without strength,” retired Army Lt. Gen. Kim Yong-hyun, who advises Yoon on defense and security policy and previously served as chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Korea Herald. Yoon’s top defense

Feb. 27, 2022

Military reports 843 more COVID-19 cases

The military on Sunday reported 843 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 17,736. The new cases included 490 from the Army, 107 from the Navy, 102 from the Air Force and 85 from the Marine Corps. There were also 46 cases from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, 12 from the ministry and one from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently, 4,949 military personnel are under treatment. (Yonhap)

Feb. 27, 2022

S. Korea to pay compensation to spy agents during Korean War

South Korea will pay out its first batch of compensation to its nationals who participated in US military intelligence operations in North Korea before and during the Korean War, and their bereaved families, the defense ministry said Thursday. On Wednesday, the ministry convened an internal review panel to make the decision applicable to 160 individuals, including 143 who worked for the Korea Liaison Office (KLO) and other units from 1948 to 1953. The panel approved 1.57 billion won ($1.31 mil

Feb. 24, 2022

S. Korea successfully tests L-SAM missile interceptor: sources

South Korea's military on Wednesday conducted a successful test-firing of a long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) under development, informed sources said, in an apparent move to counter North Korea's evolving missile threats. The state-run Agency for Defense Development oversaw the launch at a testing site in Taean, 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, following a series of North Korean missile launches last month, including hypersonic and intermediate-range missiles. Details on the fligh

Feb. 23, 2022

Military reports 767 more COVID-19 cases

The military on Wednesday reported 767 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 14,022. The new cases included 510 from the Army, 86 from the Air Force, 60 from the Navy, 55 from the Marine Corps, and 39 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. There were also 14 cases from the ministry, two from the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and one from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently, 3,878 military personnel are under treat

Feb. 23, 2022

S. Korea to take part in India-led joint naval exercise: sources

South Korea's Navy plans to participate in a multilateral naval exercise led by India starting later this week, informed sources said Tuesday. A Navy frigate with around 100 troops on board is heading to the Indian Ocean for Milan 2022, slated to run from Friday to March 4. The biennial exercise is aimed at improving counter-piracy capabilities and interoperability, they added. It was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)

Feb. 22, 2022

K9 howitzer manufacturer to launch 'user community' to share artillery experience

Hanwha Defense, the South Korean manufacturer of the K9 self-propelled howitzer, plans to launch a forum of its user countries in April to share their experience in operating the artillery system, officials said Monday. The company will hold the inaugural session of the "K9 User Community" in Changwon, 400 kilometers south of Seoul -- the manufacturing hub for the weapons system currently run by six foreign countries, including Finland, Norway and Estonia. The company has sent out invi

Feb. 21, 2022

US says deployment of latest Apache helicopters to S. Korea complete

The US Forces Korea (USFK) has completed the deployment of the newest Apache attack helicopters to South Korea, its aviation unit said, as the allies have stepped up joint efforts to counter Pyongyang's evolving military threats. In a Facebook post last Friday, the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade said that the process to deploy the latest AH-64E Version 6 helicopters to Camp Humphreys, a main USFK base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, was completed two days earlier. It did not specify th

Feb. 21, 2022

Military reports 477 more COVID-19 cases

The military on Monday reported 477 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 12,674. The new cases included 344 from the Army, 41 from the Air Force, 34 from the Marine Corps, 28 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry and 20 from the Navy. There were also nine infections from the ministry and one from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Currently, 3,330 military personnel are under treatment. (Yonhap)

Feb. 21, 2022

S. Korea successfully conducts low-temperature test on homegrown chopper

South Korea's military has successfully conducted a low-temperature flight test on a light-armed helicopter under a plan to complete its development by year's end, the state arms procurement agency said Friday. The LAH helicopter went through a nine-week evaluation program ending earlier this month in Yellowknife, Canada where the temperature dips to around minus 32 C in winter, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The program included test-flying the chopper some

Feb. 18, 2022

Navy aircraft unit reaches 40-year accident-free milestone

South Korea's Navy said Thursday a local air patrol unit has reached a milestone of mishap-free flights over the past 40 years since its establishment. The Patrol Squadron 615, based on the southern resort island of Jeju, achieved the record, having logged a total flight distance of 15.3 million kilometers, equivalent to traveling around the Earth 380 times, according to the Navy. Launched in February 1982, the squadron currently operates 16 P-3 maritime patrol planes to cover the southwestern p

Feb. 17, 2022

S. Korea to reinforce Air Force's anti-missile unit amid growing N. Korean threats

South Korea's military will reinforce the Air Force's missile defense unit by deploying additional equipment, including advanced radars, and broadening its missions, the defense ministry said Thursday, in response to evolving threats from North Korea highlighted by its various types of missile tests of late. The ministry issued a public notice on its push for legislation to restructure the existing Air Defense Missile Command as part of efforts to enhance the military's anti-missile capabilities

Feb. 17, 2022

Military reports 411 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Tuesday reported 411 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its personnel here to 9,355. The new cases included 253 from the Army, 54 from the Air Force, 50 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, and 32 from the Navy. There were also 18 cases from the Marine Corps and four from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. Currently, 3,647 military personnel are under treatment. The US Forces Korea (USFK), meanwhile, said 162

Feb. 15, 2022

S.Korea, US, Japan commit to close coordination against N.Korean missile threats

The defense chiefs of South Korea, the US, and Japan on Thursday committed to “closely cooperate” against North Korean threats and hold an in-person ministerial meeting during a trilateral phone call, South Korea’s Defense Ministry announced. South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook had a 30-minute phone discussion with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi that started at 7:45 a.m. The three defense chiefs “shared an assessment o

Feb. 10, 2022